14.10.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 277/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 2196/98 of 1 October 1998 concerning the granting of Community financial assistance for actions of an innovative nature to promote combined transport THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 75(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Atrticle 189c¢ of the Treaty (%), (1) Whereas the present situation and the expected development of transport in the Community make it necessary to manage the Community’s transport resources to optimum effect and hence to promote combined transport; (2) Whereas Commission Decision 93/45/EEC of 22 December 1992 concerning the granting of finan- cial support for pilot schemes to promote combined transport (°) launched, in 1992, an ex- perimental five-year scheme for the granting of financial assistance for pilot schemes to promote combined transport; whereas that scheme came to an end on 31 December 1996; (3) Whereas, therefore, Community action in this area is clearly useful; whereas this experimental scheme should be converted into a proper framework for Community action in the field of combined trans- port which takes account of the experience gained since 1992; (4) Whereas the main objective of Community action in the field of combined transport is to increase the competitiveness of this type of transport in order to 1 () OJ C 343, 15. 11. 1996, p. 4 and OJ C 364, 2. 12. 1997, p. 5. (3 OJ C 89, 19. 3. 1997, p. 18. () OJ C 379, 15. 12. 1997, p. 47. (Y) Opinion of the European Parliament of 12 June 1997 (OJ C 200, 30. 6. 1997, p. 137), Council common position of 17 March 1998 (O] C 161, 27. 5. 1998, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parliament of 2 July 1998 (O] C 226, 20. 7. 1998). () OJ L 16, 25. 1. 1993, p. 55. provide alternatives to road transport which are acceptable to the user; whereas financial assistance for projects eligible under this Regulation can therefore be of direct benefit only to Member States and to natural or legal persons established in the Community, and solely in respect of expenditure and costs incurred on Community territory; Whereas Member States and natural or legal persons established in the Community should be the only applicants submitting a combined trans- port project; whereas it is possible, however, for directly concerned third countries and persons established outside the Community to be associated with the submission of a project; Whereas combined transport projects should cover commercial services relating to this type of trans- port; whereas Community financial assistance is consequently granted for innovative operational measures and for feasibility studies relating to them; whereas projects concerning infrastructure networks and research and technological develop- ment projects are therefore excluded from the scope of this Regulation; Whereas the Community financial assistance referred to in this Regulation should be provided for a limited period; Whereas it is advisable to allow applicants to submit projects which best match current market needs; whereas innovation should therefore not be discouraged by an over-rigid definition of innov- ative projects; Whereas it is nevertheless necessary, during the project selection procedure, to ensure that the project chosen makes a real contribution to the common transport policy and does not cause unac- ceptable distortions of competition;