European Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in a written answer on 1 July 2026, acknowledged that the Brenner Base Tunnel's success depends on adequate access routes to the north and south, warning that without them the tunnel could become a bottleneck undermining EU investments. He offered to establish a binding steering group with Italy, Austria and Germany if the three member states reach consensus, and confirmed the Commission is monitoring Germany's compliance with TEN-T commitments.
The answer came in response to a parliamentary question from MEPs Daniele Polato, Carlo Fidanza and Carlo Ciccioli (all ECR, Italy), who raised concerns about delays to the tunnel's opening possibly slipping to 2034 and the Bavarian government's rejection of Deutsche Bahn's proposed northern access route to Kufstein. The MEPs asked whether the Commission would seek official information from German authorities, promote a special steering group, and verify Germany's compliance with TEN-T obligations.
Tzitzikostas noted that Deutsche Bahn has submitted its detailed planning and preferred route alignment for parliamentary approval, expected later in 2026, after which the timeline will become clearer. He pointed to Article 55.2 of the TEN-T Regulation, which allows the Commission to adopt implementing acts for specific cross-border sections in close cooperation with member states, and said the Commission would be ready to elaborate such an act if consensus among the three countries can be assured. This would complement technical work under the Brenner Corridor Platform.
The Commissioner also stated that the Commission continuously monitors implementation of European Transport Corridors through European Coordinators' work plans, with the next plan due by end of 2026.
The answer signals a conditional willingness to escalate EU involvement — from monitoring to binding implementing acts — but only if Italy, Austria and Germany agree. This reflects a cautious approach that prioritises member-state consensus over top-down intervention. The Commission stops short of setting its own deadline or publicly pressuring Bavaria, instead deferring to the Bundestag process.
For the three member states, the offer of an EU implementing act could provide a legal framework to resolve the impasse, but requires political agreement that has so far proved elusive. Deutsche Bahn and Bavarian authorities face continued uncertainty until the parliamentary approval process concludes. Rail freight operators and shippers along the Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor risk prolonged inefficiency if the northern link remains unresolved. Local populations in the Alps would continue to suffer road freight pollution until the tunnel's full capacity is realised.
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