This paper discusses the problems of financing the transport infrastructure of the European Community and the need for regulated private investment. Transport infrastructure networks of European interest will structure the organization of travel for a long period. They are likely to make a considerable contribution to the process of European integration in the perspective of the single European market after 1993. Funds needed for financing these projects are considerable. Any wrong choice could have negative consequences in the long term. Therefore, risks have to be controlled and elements of uncertainty kept to a minimum. There is a need for a certain picture of how the transport markets are going to evolve in the medium and long term. The organization of competition or complementary elements between the different methods of transport thus appears to be essential. However, at the same time, constant questions of deregulation of transport in Europe are being brought up. The wild competition which could result from the breakdown of the existing regulations might complicate or even delay the choices made for investments. Therefore, might there not be a pronounced contradiction between the concern to re-launch investments in terms of transport infrastructures and the process of deregulation recommended by liberal economists and by certain politicians? This communication endeavours to put forward some elements of thinking to overcome this contradiction and put it into the framework of the European process integration.
Samenvatting