PREPARED

Policy Rethink: Enhanced Planning and Governance for North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean Corridor

The PREPARED project builds on the framework of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a cornerstone of European Union transport policy and a key instrument for strengthening sustainable mobility as well as economic, social and territorial cohesion.

In line with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the TEN-T Regulation of 2013 was revised and adopted in June 2024 to support the transition to cleaner, greener and smarter mobility. The updated regulation aligns infrastructure planning with operational needs by integrating rail, road and waterways, and consolidates the core network corridors with rail freight corridors into the ‘European Transport Corridors’.

Within this context, the revised TEN-T regulation merges the Rhine-Alpine (RALP) and North Sea–Mediterranean (NSM) Corridors into the North Sea–Rhine–Mediterranean Corridor (NSRM). The NSRM connects Belgium, Ireland, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, linking cities from Dublin and Cork to Paris, Strasbourg, Amsterdam and Marseille. The Rhine-Alpine Corridor, stretching 1,200 km from Rotterdam to Genoa, represents a major European transport axis, serving seven countries and around one fifth of the EU’s population. It connects key North Sea ports with Northern Italy and is supported by a dedicated governance structure, the EGTC RALP, in place since 2015.

The PREPARED project examines how the performance of this merged corridor can be better understood and coordinated across national and regional boundaries. It supports the development of an integrated governance approach, bringing together actors from different countries and policy levels and facilitating cooperation across the corridor.

The project has involved the collection and harmonisation of European and regional data, the organisation of stakeholder consultations and transnational workshops, and the development of a common analytical framework to assess corridor performance. These activities have supported a structured comparison of challenges across participating territories and strengthened dialogue among stakeholders.

The analytical phase of the PREPARED project has been completed. Final reports and policy recommendations are currently being consolidated and are expected to be published in summer 2026.

Stakeholders 

The Interregional Alliance for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor- EGTC RALP (Germany) is the lead stakeholder.

Other stakeholders:

• Rhine-Rhône high-speed line association – Rhine-Rhône HSL (France);
•  METREX Network for European Metropolitan Regions and Areas (Belgium);
• A.L.S.E.A. Lombard Freight Forwarders and Haulers Association (Italy)
• Metropolitan City of Milan – MCM (Italy).