On 1st February, Doris Leuthard visited Denmark to meet with minsters for the energy and transport sectors. As Swiss Federal Counsellor for Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC), Mrs Leuthard is responsible for overseeing the development of the energy grid as well as the further integration of the Swiss transport system into the EU. In Brussels the next steps on the TEN-T (Trans-European Transport Network) issue are being discussed with Denmark and Switzerland sharing common interests in this regard. Recognising that well developed infrastructure is essential to economic growth, the TEN-T initiative aims to make transport between the EU member states as smooth as possible.
With more than 200 000 km of railway track across EU 27, it is a huge task.
In comments made to Geneva Business News via his Press Office, the Danish minister of Transportation Henrik Dam Kristensen said: “We also discussed some of the key EU legislative proposals that are currently being negotiated in Brussels. I was glad to hear that Denmark and Switzerland share views on the TEN-T issue and that the newly proposed 4th railway package also seems to attract great interest in both countries."
Well-known for its punctual and efficient public transport which stretches into even the most remote valleys, Switzerland serves as a fellow good example of a well-managed public transportation system. As TEN-T was on the agenda, the ministers also discussed the procurement of rolling stock, an issue that left a positive impression on Mrs Leuthard’s Danish colleague:“Minister Leuthard was also kind enough to present the Swiss procedures for procurement of rolling stock for the railways. In recent years we’ve faced some challenges in Denmark in this field, and for that reason it was useful to learn of the Swiss approach as Switzerland is among the leaders in terms of procurement of rolling stock.”
The ministers also took time to discuss one of Denmark’s and indeed the capital Copenhagen’s most well-known features: the bicycling culture. Mr Kristensen pointed out the fact that leaving such a development to private initiave alone can be insufficient: “Naturally, we discussed the famous Danish bicycling culture – including the role of the government in promoting the best conditions possible for those who use their bicycle as an important means of transportation.”
Since 1995, the citizens of Copenhagen have been able to use Citybikes made available by City Hall for free, and when in 1997 US President Bill Clinton visited Denmark, he received a Citybike as a gift. Cycling is not just healthy, but also reduces CO2 emissions, and for its environmental role the program won the award: “Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award 2008”. More information about the citybike can be found at: http://www.bycyklen.dk/
More information about TEN-T can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/index_en.htm
Iillustration from the European Commission's website on Ten-T: http://tentea.ec.europa.eu/en/ten-t_projects/ten-t_projects_by_country/
