Ref. Ares(2015)3098559 - 23/07/2015
Ref. Ares(2018)3432564 - 28/06/2018
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL
REGIONAL AND URBAN POLICY
The Director-General
Brussels,
REGIO F.5 ZZ
Dear Mr Tarlós,
Subject: Response to your communication to Commissioner Creṭu
Thank you for your correspondence to Commissioner Creṭu of 6 and 10 July in which
you raise a number of issues related to a potential EU co-financing of the Metro 3 and
other sustainable transport projects in Budapest. Commissioner Crețu has asked me to
reply on her behalf.
Let me preface this letter by emphasizing that the Commission remains committed to
supporting urban mobility projects in the city of Budapest. Moreover, during the recent
negotiations on the Integrated Transport Operational Programme (ITOP), it was the
Commission who advocated a proportional inclusion of key Budapest projects into the
ITOP.
Nevertheless, the Hungarian authorities maintained their position emphasizing the need
to solely invest into urban mobility of other Hungarian cities. Under the described
circumstances, in as much as we wish to remain supportive with respect to financing
Budapest urban mobility projects, given the limited EU funding availability, at this point
of our concern are also the other cities as we would not like to see them now fully left out
on account of accommodating a substantial portfolio of Budapest projects. In that sense,
a proper balance in terms of a proportional representation of Budapest projects, would
still need to be negotiated in the context of a planned ITOP modification. As you
rightfully pointed out the ITOP modification has been indeed approved by the recent MC,
however its text and details would still need to be agreed upon with the Commission
before its adoption.
Regarding the Metro 3 project in particular, we would be looking into it in the context of
previous substantial investments into Budapest metro projects which are yet not fully
completed. I would like to use this opportunity to remind you of the fact that one of the
accompanying measures of the Metro 4 investment project is the introduction of a
congestion charge for the centre of Budapest which is meant, among obvious
environmental benefits, to also encourage further utilisation of the Budapest public
Mr István Tarlós
Mayor of Budapest
Mayor’s Office Budapest
1052 Budapest Városház u. 9-11.
Hungary
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
- Tel. direct line +32 229-67448 - Fax +32 229-8 88 53
transport including the Metro 4 which would appear currently underutilised when
comparing the originally foreseen passenger numbers with the passenger numbers
achieved so far.
We welcome the adoption of the Balázs Mór sustainable urban mobility plan but do hope
this plan would be further incorporated into a more holistic document that would aim at
integrating and addressing also the long distance traffic passing through Budapest such as
trains and busses.
My colleagues inform me that your Deputy, Mr
. Szeneczey Balázs took part at the
technical meeting with the ITOP managing authority held on 22 April in Budapest,
where, among other issues, the Metro 3 project has been preliminary discussed. At this
meeting it has been agreed that a good way to proceed with the consideration of the
Metro 3 project would be to have JASPERS examine the feasibility study for the entire
integrated project, involving infrastructure, signalling and rolling stock. We still believe
that such an approach would represent the best way forward. We would be grateful if this
feasibility study for the comprehensive renovation could be forwarded to JASPERS and
REGIO at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Walter Deffaa
Copies: State Secretary Ms Vitalyos, Office of the Prime Minister; Deputy State
Secretary Mr F. Szaloki, Ministry of National Development