Kallas: the pan-European transport network to have 9 future corridors

Kallas: the pan-European transport network to have 9 future corridors

BC, Tallinn, 18.10.2013.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=82254

The pan-European transport network – nine future corridors – that will be announced in the framework of the Trans-European Transport Network conference or TEN-T 2013 takes place this week in Tallinn, is the result of tense work of the past three years, LETA/Postimees writes.

European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas says that with pride in his voice. It is no coincidence that Estonia is the place where more than a thousand high-level European transport officials and state figures, who have been working on the TEN-T or nine transport corridors project, convene today. The cost of the project is 26 billion EUR and it includes the Rail Baltic project that has caused passions to flare in Estonia.

Kallas states that Europe's wealth is the common internal market but the rather dispersed transport network is the problem. The fluctuating quality of highways in different states is a problem, while the quality of railways and pan-European ports-internal waterways networks is an even bigger problem.

"In this respect a very big step ahead is made," said Kallas. "All the corridors cover several states, there are no projects here that only one country would have to pay for."

While in the previous financing period, rails, roads and seaways received 8 bln euros of funds from the EU, the money allocated for the transport sector in 2014-2020 is 26 bln euros.

The Nordic-Baltic corridor passes via Estonia, improving transport connections between Finland, the Baltic States and Poland. The new Rail Baltic railway line, and Via Baltica highway form a new North-South transport network backbone, connecting the Baltic states and creating a bridge with Poland and Central Europe.

Kallas: Rail Baltica will connect EU Eastern regions with the Western countries

BC, Tallinn, 17.10.2013.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=82200

The Rail Baltica project is of great importance for the development of connections between the Baltic countries and the rest of the European Union, European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas said during the European Commission's "TEN-T Days 2013" event yesterday, informs LETA/Nozare.lv.

Unlike the current network of railroads, Rail Baltica will connect EU Eastern regions with the Western countries.

People sometimes inquire why such a railroad is necessary, and if it would not be better to build interconnections with neighbors to the East. They fail to realize that 500 million people live in the EU, and that Europe's economy is growing. It would be very shortsighted not to build the Rail Baltica railroad connecting the EU's Eastern and Western parts, said Kallas.

The commissioner added he hoped that implementing the project would not take too long.

As reported, the Rail Baltica project deals with construction of a new 1435 millimeter standard-gauge railroad in the Baltic countries. The implementation of project could cost EUR 1.27 billion (LVL 880 million) to Latvia and EUR 3.68 billion (LVL 2.56 billion) to the Baltic States altogether. The European Commission could co-fund 85% of the project's costs. The request for funding will be submitted to the European Commission in 2015, so construction of the railroad could begin in 2016. Further funding for the project is to be provided as part of the next financial period that will begin in 2020.