EuropeChats – Why are Trans-European Networks SO Important?

One of the greatest benefits the EU has given to its Member States, beyond the political and economic integration on which it was founded, is the integration of infrastructures. There is no more visible example of this than in transport connectivity. In this episode of EuropeChats, TEPSA Secretary-General and long-time EU insider Jim Cloos sits down with former Director-General for Energy and Transport Matthias Ruete for a discussion on Trans-European Networks. What are they? Where do they come from? And why are they so important? These are some of the questions we will tackle in this episode of EuropeChats.

Matthias Ruete is a longstanding European practitioner. Starting off as a "mildly Eurosceptic professor at an English university", he eventually joined the European Commission in 1986, climbing the ranks until he was appointed to lead the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport (DG TREN) in 2006. He also led the Migration and Home Affairs file at the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) between 2014 and 2017. Since leaving a role as special adviser to the European Commission, dealing with energy policy among other files, Ruete has worked as one of eleven European Transport Coordinators for the European Rail Traffic Management System.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music