Development plan for the Metro network and upgrading rail transport in the Porto Metropolitan Area

Subject: Development plan for the Metro network and upgrading rail transport in the Porto Metropolitan Area

Reducing the price and extending the coverage of the intermodal social pass has made an important, albeit insufficient, contribution to increasing demand for public transport in the Porto Metropolitan Area, where most journeys continue to be made by private modes of transport (84%, according to the latest studies). A significant increase in the supply and quality of public transport services is therefore necessary, with a particular focus on the Metro and the rail sector.

A development plan for the Metro network was recently proposed for the next decade, comprising 54 new stations, 49 kilometres of network and six new lines (Trofa, Valbom, Campo Alegre, Devesas, São Mamede de Infesta and Maia, from Hospital São João), ensuring that the service can be extended to important conglomerations where currently no viable alternative public transport links to Porto exist.

It is also important to upgrade rail transport, for example, by reopening the Leixões line to passengers and modernising and ensuring electrification of all the Tâmega and Douro lines.

In light of the above:

1. What EU budget instruments, programmes and measures could be used to support the investments referred to above?

2. What are the conditions for mobilising and using these funds?

3. Is the Commission aware of any EU funding that has already been allocated to these projects?

Answer given by Ms Ferreira on behalf of the European Commission

(28 April 2020)

Actions to promote sustainable transport are eligible under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) programmes in the current programming period 2014-2020 under Portugal 2020 (1). This is also what the Commission has proposed for the next programming period 2021-2027 (2).

The investments referred to in the question of the Honourable Member, to the extent that they contribute to enhancing sustainable transport, could therefore theoretically be supported in Portugal under the current period and, depending on the result of the discussions on the 2021-2027 Portuguese ERDF/CF programmes, also in the next programming period.

In accordance with the principles of shared management applicable to the ERDF and the CF, Member States should have the primary responsibility, through their management and control systems, for the implementation and control of the operations in programmes. It is therefore for the Member State to select operations according to the conditions set out in the applicable legislation and the operational programmes.

Cohesion Funds have been supporting the extension of Porto’s metro network. Recently, the Commission has approved financial contributions to the Pink Line (3) and to the Yellow Line (4), as ‘major projects’ under the operational programme ‘Sustainability and Efficiency in the Use of Resources’. According to the information provided by the competent Portuguese managing authorities no additional ERDF/CF funding has at the moment of this reply been allocated to the metro lines mentioned in the question.

As regards the three railway lines mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Douro line has received financing from the national operational programme ‘Competitiveness and Internationalisation’ (POCI) for the modernisation of the line between Caíde and Régua.

⋅1∙ ‘Portugal 2020’ is the legal framework constituted by the Partnership Agreement between Portugal and the Commission and by all the programmes subsequently

adopted under its coverage on the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) support for the 2014-2020 period. See link

https://www.portugal2020.pt/content/o-que-e-o-portugal-2020 , ⋅2∙

COM(2018) 372 final, 29.5.2018: Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund.

⋅3∙ Casa da Música — São Bento

⋅4∙ Santo Ovídio — Vila D’Este