Source: European Parliament
Regulation (EU) 2024/1679[1] introduced the obligation for Member States to ensure the development of safe and secure parking areas (SSPAs) certified in accordance with EU standards along the roads of the core network and the extended core network, with an average maximum distance of 150 kilometres between two SSPAs, by 31 December 2040.
However, it falls under the responsibility of Member States to organise themselves in achieving this objective, by planning the projects and their progress in accordance with national priorities and circumstances, as well as public procurement and permitting processes, thus ensuring that the infrastructure development occurs in compliance with the required EU standards.
In this context, the Commission supports the Member States in their efforts to build more SSPAs, notably by providing funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) .
For the realisation of projects across the EU, CEF Transport made available EUR 250 million each in 2022 and 2023, and EUR 320 million for the call for proposals of 2024. These fundings support both the creation of new SSPAs and the upgrade of existing parking areas in accordance with EU safety and security standards . So far, the EU has already co-funded 138 SSPAs and around 16,113 parking spots. In Romania, three SSPAs have been certified in accordance with the EU standards adopted in 2022[2].
Furthermore, the Commission has launched a study on the availability and development of SSPAs and rest facilities for professional drivers in the EU, with a view to presenting a report to the European Parliament and the Council.
The development of SSPAs and the support of Member States to fulfil the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) requirements, remain a priority for the Commission.
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1153 and (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 (OJ L 2024/1679, 28.6.2024).
- [2] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1012 of 7 April 2022 supplementing Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the establishment of standards detailing the level of service and security of safe and secure parking areas and to the procedures for their certification (OJ L 170, 28.6.2022, p. 27).