The European Commission will receive a report on Monday that will call for €208 billion in transport spending to boost the European Union's economy and the internal market, the Financial Timesreports today.
The report, drawn up by experts led by former transport commissioner Mr Karel van Miert, backs infrastructure spending to ease transportation all over the EU and to overcome natural barriers such as the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Baltic sea, the paper said.
The Commission declined to comment, but an EU source confirmed the Commission would receive the report on Monday.
"This report will identify a list of projects for financing as well as options in terms of how to finance it," the source said.
The EU source said the Commission would then use the report as a basis to present potential proposals in the autumn, but was unable to give any further details.
The Financial Timessaid the draft report calls for the public sector to make a greater contribution to transport projects worth €208 billion euros between 2004 and 2013.
Italy, which takes over the rotating presidency of the EU on July 1st, wants to discuss the plan at a ministerial meeting next Friday and Saturday, according to the report.
Transport Commissioner Ms Loyola de Palacio will likely follow up with legislative proposals in the autumn, the paper said.