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Regional Infrastructure |
The Infrastructure Task Force
Objective
The
availability of infrastructure services--in transport, energy,
telecom and water--is key to economic growth. In addition, without
adequate transport systems linking countries together, trade cannot
flourish; and without adequate communication facilities, citizens
of different countries cannot be in reliable contact with each
other, which also constrains possibilities for trade. The overall
objective of the Stability Pact is, therefore, to improve the
quality of infrastructure services in SEE.
Description
In
the framework of the Stability Pact, the European Investment Bank
has developed, in close co-operation with other IFI's and the
European Commission, a comprehensive programme for improvement
of regional infrastructure. The focus is on the transport, energy,
water and telecommunications sectors. Out of the 400 initial submissions,
35 projects were chosen for the ‘Quick Start Package' (QSP). Implementation
of these will start or a tender be awarded within 12 months.
Besides
the investment in regional infrastructure it will be important
to undertake regulatory improvements to take advantage of potential
economies of scale, e.g. through improving airspace navigation
control, facilitation energy trade or promoting integrated telecom
systems.
The
EIB, the EC, the WB and the EBRD reported on the progress achieved
in financing and implementing the Quick Start Package of 34 infrastructure
projects. The Joint Office of the WB and the EC presented a consolidated
report as of end-September 2000, which underlines that the QSP
on infrastructure is well underway. Six months after the Regional
Donor Conference, all except one of the quick start projects with
a total cost of 1221 million Euro have fully identified sources
of funding. The remaining gap of 29 M Euro (one project in Bosnia
and Herzegovina) is very likely to be closed soon. One study in
Bosnia an Herzegovina has been canceled because the World Bank,
as the lead agency responsible, reported that sufficient information
was found to be available to go ahead with the related project
without a new study.
Implementation
The
EIB has organised technical meetings with the World Bank, the
EBRD and the European Commission in order to establish a package
of infrastructure projects. With regard to the 35 projects in
the QSP, negotiations are now underway to finalise the technical
details.
It
is expected that almost all of the projects will proceed as scheduled,
some projects are even ahead of schedule. Works on the ground,
which have started for 6 projects, will be intensified during
the next construction season. For one third of the projects tendering
has already started or is completed. However, in order to minimise
possible delays in the implementation of the quick start projects,
there is a need to urgently improve in some cases the sectorial,
regulatory and legislative framework and to address specific issues
such as expropriation procedures for land acquisition, transparency
in tendering procedures and appropriate measures for environmental
protection.
Information
on tenders for QSP (Infrastructure) is available on:
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