Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is a planned set of road, rail, air and water transport networks in the European Union, including multimodal transport. Relevant legal acts define transport corridors, main seaports, river ports and airports together with principal EU border crossings in order to improve internal connectivity and connections to neighbouring countries, as well as to set the foundation for the enlargement of the Union to the Western Balkans countries. The official extension of the TEN-T was intensively prepared during years 2014 and 2015: the network should extend to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. The announcement of the expansion contributes to the available financing opportunities, mainly to the possibility of co-financing projects from EU funds and international financial institutions. It is expected that investments in traffic infrastructure are to be intensified, primarily in the road sector, in motorways and expressways, while railways are to follow. This development will have an impact on traffic flows in Croatia since the main corridors in Western Balcan countries continue or supplement the corridors in our country, so it is the right time to re-examine the Croatian strategic spatial and traffic documents and to adapt them to the anticipated new circumstances. Another reason for the interest in capital infrastructure projects in neighbouring countries is the opportunity for Croatian consultants, designers and builders to capitalize their experience and references acquired through the years of intensive motorway construction on domestic market. Paper presents an overview of trends in neighbouring countries which are about to enter a comprehensive and core TEN-T network, as well as the review of the options for co-financing through European funds.

TEN-T; transport network; transport corridors; financing; infrastructure