THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 concerning a European rail network for competitive freight, and in particular Article 5(6) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
In accordance with Article 5(5) of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010, the ministries responsible for rail transport in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Poland sent the Commission a letter of intent dated 27 April 2014. This included a proposal on extending the North Sea-Baltic rail freight corridor to the Czech Republic, Southern-Poland and the Polish-Ukrainian border.
(2)
The Commission examined this proposal under Article 5(6) of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and adopted Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1111 on compliance with Article 5 of this Regulation.
(3)
The letter of intent dated 27 April 2014 stated that the extension from Katowice to Medyka could only be operational in 2020. However, Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1111 also covers this extension and in accordance with Article 5(7) of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010, the Member States concerned should build the freight corridor at the latest two years after the Commission's Decision is published. Based on this, the extension to Medyka would have to be operational by 7 July 2017 at the latest; this does not correspond to the intention specified in the Member States' letter. Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1111 should therefore be amended by removing the reference to extending the North Sea-Baltic rail freight corridor to Medyka.
(4)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established under Article 21 of Regulation (EU) No 913/2010,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: