Territorial impact of EU transport and TEN policies
Major questions under this project are how and to what extent TENs provide the right answers for a balanced and polycentric territorial development as described in the ESDP, regarding infrastructures, level and quality of services provided on the infrastructures, but also in terms of regulation and pricing policy. The measures proposed in the White Paper "The European transport policy by 2010" (COM 2001/370) provide the framework for the transport related issues investigated under this project. Telecommunications, as part of the TENs, are also investigated, through the impact of ICTs on regional performance.

As a major output, the project has developed 10 scenarios (on road/rail infrastructures, pricing, and combining both) to conduct the evaluation of EU transport policy. Effects on "regional development potential" (using competitiveness, mass, connectivity and development trends as basic indicators) and polycentricism were in particular investigated. Typologies of regions were developed, based on the classification of the predicted impacts of transport, but also ICTs policies.

The ESDP policy options stress the need for an integrated approach for improved transport links, makes reference to a polycentric development model, highlight the need for efficient and sustainable transport and communication systems. The project interestingly shows the contradictions and conflicts that exist when it comes to achieving these objectives, by implementing different pricing or infrastructure policy options.