The API projects have been selected on the basis of their contribution to the improvement of connectivity among the regions, regardless of the countries where the infrastructure is located, implemented, and put into operation. Each project concerns two or more countries, thus ensuring the binational or multinational character of their impact on the physical integration of South America.

• CRITERION 1: The projects should belong to the COSIPLAN Project Portfolio and be a priority in government action, and there should be a commitment to accomplish them (evidenced by the allocation of funds through multi-year financing programs, by the legislation passed, the budget measures taken, etc.).

The fact that the projects should belong to the COSIPLAN Project Portfolio proves that they were identified through the application of the Indicative Territorial Planning Methodology, and that they are in line with the portfolio structuring process (Integration and Development Hubs - Project Groups - Strategic Functions). Furthermore, as they are included in the Portfolio, their impact on regional integration was already agreed upon by all the countries.

Equally important is that the projects should be a priority in government action, which means that they should be included in national or subnational development plans, sectoral policies and strategies, national legislation, etc. This may also refer to projects politically supported at the regional level, i.e. either included in bilateral or multilateral agreements, or mentioned in presidential summit or ministerial meeting declarations.

• CRITERION 2:  Feasibility studies should be available, or the country should have the funds allocated to start their execution.

The requirement that feasibility studies should have been carried out, is meant to include projects at an advanced preparation stage and having good finance and execution prospects vis-àvis the implementation time frame established for the Agenda (2012-2022). Moreover, these studies provide accurate information about project resources and schedules.

However, the countries have agreed to incorporate projects in the profiling stage, provided budget resources are allocated to conduct the required studies and their completion falls within the Agenda time frame.

On the other hand, it was recognized that some projects would not be completed within this time frame, but were yet incorporated due to the priority given to them by the countries involved.

• CRITERION 3: The projects should strengthen connectivity networks that are regional in scope, and involve cross-border synergies.

Refers to the project potential for promoting regional territorial development by encouraging connectivity, eradicating bottlenecks, and adding missing links to existing networks.

Similarly, cross-border synergy effects are expected to result from action coordination among the countries, thus contributing to the integration of API projects. This is why there are structured projects made up of individual projects with converging objectives.

• CRITERION 4: There should exist an opportunity or a need for taking complementary actions intended to promote efficient service provision and the sustainable development of the territory, according to the characteristics and modality of each specific project.

The concept of Integration Territorial Programs (PTIs) is introduced in the understanding that it is necessary to make headway with the identification of actions complementary to infrastructure implementation for the API projects that may so require. These programs will help leverage the impact of infrastructure on the development of the territories involved, while considering the economic, social and environmental aspects.