Selection of further freight corridors
Article 5
1. Each Member State with a rail border with another Member State shall participate in the establishment of at least one freight corridor, unless this obligation has already been met under Article 3. 2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, Member States shall, upon request from a Member State, participate in the establishment of the freight corridor as referred to in that paragraph or the prolongation of an existing corridor, in order to allow a neighbouring Member State to fulfil its obligation under that paragraph. 3. Without prejudice to the obligations of Member States under Article 7 of Directive 91/440/EEC, where a Member State considers, after having provided a socio-economic analysis, that the establishment of a freight corridor would not be in the interest of the applicants likely to use the freight corridor or would not bring significant socio-economic benefits or would cause a disproportionate burden, the Member State concerned shall not be obliged to participate as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, subject to a decision of the Commission acting in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 21(2). 4. A Member State shall not be obliged to participate as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 if it has a rail network which has a track gauge which is different from that of the main rail network within the Union. 5. The establishment of a freight corridor shall be proposed by the Member States concerned. For this purpose they shall send jointly to the Commission a letter of intent including a proposal drawn up after consultation of the infrastructure managers and applicants concerned, taking into account the criteria set out in Article 4. In order to meet the obligation under paragraphs 1 and 2, the Member States concerned shall send jointly to the Commission a letter of intent by 10 November 2012. 6. The Commission shall examine the proposals for the establishment of a freight corridor as referred to in paragraph 5 and, in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 21(3), adopt a decision on the compliance of such a proposal with this Article at the latest 9 months after submission of the proposal. 7. The Member States concerned shall establish the freight corridor at the latest two years after the decision of the Commission referred to in paragraph 6.