(ANSA) - TRIESTE - Regional mobility councillor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Mariagrazia Santoro, submitted today to the Council of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region a resolution concerning the region's membership as an associate partner in the European project CONNECT2CE - Improved rail connections and smart mobility in Central Europe, by using the funds of the 2014-20 Central Europe Programme - Axis 4 (Transport).

This plan, which is sponsored by the Central European Initiative (lead partner), is worth 4.2 million euros and includes 14 partners from Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Czech Republic. The objective is to improve rail links and cross-border and regional transport through the study of cross-border rail service contracts, integrated fares, ''info-mobility'' systems and e-ticketing.

By means of this plan, the FVG Region will support Ferrovie Udine-Cividale (Udine-Cividale Railway), which takes part in it with a 648,318 euro budget. FUC will be responsible for two pilot initiatives, which are aimed, respectively, to assess the possible extension, to Trieste, of the experimental Micotra train between Villach (Austria) and Udine, and to integrate the Micotra train ticket with the bike-sharing system of the city of Udine.

Among these experiments are: the preparation of the first transnational Service Contract between Croatia, Slovenia and Austria, the arrangement of rail services and regional feeder transports for the Koszeg-Szombathely line (Hungary), the harmonization of timetables in border areas across Hungary, Slovenia and Austria, and between Hungary and Austria, the integration of multimodal cross-border services and the development of cross-border and regional info-mobility systems.(ANSA).