GRAZER FRACHT TERMINAL (PPP)

The Cargo Center Graz located 20 km outside Graz will be a freight terminal and state-of-the-art logistic center facilitating intermodal rail/road transport modes. The Cargo Center Graz enjoys excellent traffic connections with direct access to motorway network Pyhrn-Südautobahn (A9), the high performance rail network Südbahn between Graz and Maribor, Slowenia. The Project possibly financed by the Bank solely relates to the railway infrastructure. The warehouses and their equipment, which form part of the cargo terminal will be owned, operated and financed by the private sector.

At the Gothenburg European Council meeting in June 2001, the EU leaders stressed the need to shift the balance between transport modes in order to achieve sustainable development. The need for promoting environmentally friendly modes of transport, such as rail transport, is further underlined as a key element in the European Commission's White Paper on European Transport Policy for 2010 approved in September 2001. The project will lead to an improvement of rail freight services running through Austria where increased road freight traffic has created special environmental and safety concerns.

The project falls within the scope of Annex II of Directive 97/11. It is located in a rural area close to a railway and motorway and is under construction. All environmental and other approvals required by local and EU law have been received. The provision of improved rail freight services is expected to attract freight transport away from the roads. This would be environmentally beneficial as it reduces energy consumption, road congestion, noise and pollution and increases transport safety.

SCHIG has published or will publish all works and services related to the project implementation in full compliance with both national and EU legislation. Under these conditions, the procurement procedures followed by the promoter are suitable to the project and satisfactory to the Bank.