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Having good quality rail infrastructure along an international corridor is essential for the competitiveness of rail freight. The structures for ERTMS corridors A (Rotterdam–Genoa) and C (Antwerp–Basel/Lyon), created on the initiative of the European Commission, have shown the advantages of cooperation for the development of a corridor. But this voluntary approach has also had its limitations, notably in terms of timescales and the scope of measures to be introduced. This type of cooperation should be consolidated and extended to other corridors. Drawing on the experience and good practices acquired in the ERTMS corridors, particularly corridors A and C, the Commission proposed at the end of 2008 a regulation on a European rail network for competitive freight, to be based on a number of rail freight corridors. The regulation was recently agreed by the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers and is expected to enter into force before the end of 2010.
Nine corridors have been defined which link the main industrial and port regions in Europe. These nine corridors include the six ERTMS corridors and the Railnet Europe (RNE) corridors, which often overlap. They should be operational for the most part within three years.

Source: Signal, July 2010, www.europarl.europa.eu

On June 14th, 2010 ten European Transport Ministers have reinforced and confirmed their intent to cooperate in the development of European rail freight corridors and let them grow together to networks. The ministers have signed a declaration where the Corridor C is extended to Rotterdam. Therefore, the new itinerary of the Corridor C is described as Rotterdam-Antwerp-Basel/Lyon.