INTERREG III B Project
Rail Baltica

Transnational Integration through Coordinated Infrastructure and Regional Development

Project Background

The INTERREG IIIB project Rail Baltica focuses on the development of the Trans-European railway Rail Baltica, linking Helsinki – Tallinn – Riga – Kaunas – Warsaw and continuing on to Berlin/Brandenburg.

Economic integration of the Baltic States and Poland with Western Europe leads to growing trade and traffic. Therefore it is important to create well furnished and sustainable transportation links, which at the same time will promote economic growth and integration of this region. While cross-sea ferry traffic and road transport in the Baltic Sea Region are growing fast, coast-parallel transport on sea or rail stagnate. For example, passenger railway services from Tallinn to Central/Western Europe ceased. Via Baltica, road and rail, is a priority in the TEN networks, with only progressing in road improvements. Up to now, railway investments concentrate on East-West corridors and neglect the wanted integration within the widened EU. In general, RAIL BALTICA will support the wider EU goals of parity of access to services and infrastructure of EU Member States and development of sustainable modes of transportation, improved balance and interoperability between different means of transportation and the establishment of links between EU territories.

Project Area and Partners Project duration: June 05 - December 07
Project budget: approx. 1,17 Mill. €, thereof ERDF approx. 0,865 Mill. €

Aims and Activities

The main objective of the Rail Baltica project is to improve the transnational integration of the Baltic Sea Region through coordinated infrastructure investments and regional development.

Main activities of the INTERREG IIIB Rail Baltica project focus on the definition of the most favourable and between all national and regional partners agreed route for the Rail Baltica link, taking into account its impact for further regional development.

The project is organised in four work packages addressing different aspects:

1. Definition of a common development approach along the Rail Baltica:
   • International and National Theme Groups will assess the national planning strategies and approaches of the involved countries.
   • Conduction of best practices workshops on cross-border planning and programming processes between involved countries in order to obtain roposals on approaches for cross-border-programming
   • Elaboration of a transnationally agreed International Development Approach regarding Rail Baltica for the macro-region Rail Baltica Zone.
2. Analysis of alternative routes within the Rail Baltica Development Zone in order to define the most suitable route for this region.
3. Elaboration of a best-practice catalogue as tool for future project planning, development and evaluation on a regional and local level based on the analysis of selected case studies.
4. Initiation of a promotion campaign, regular PR activities and platform for political discussions.

The activities will be carried out by expert missions, studies through International and National Theme Groups and workshops. All these activities require strong international and interregional cooperation in order to create sustainable communication links in the Baltic Sea Region. All together RAIL BALTICA will contribute to a harmonisation of spatial planning activities and regional development strategies in the participating countries towards the joint goal of supporting the trans-European railway link.

Partner

•  
  Latvia
  • Ministry of Transport and Communications
  • Transport Education and Research Centre Riga
  • Ministry of Regional Development and Local Governments
  • Vidzeme Development Agency
  • Zemgale Development Agency
  • Germany
    • GTZ Twinning Office Berlin
    • Senate Department for Urban Development Berlin
    • Ministry for Infrastructure and Spatial Planning Brandenburg
  • Lithuania
    • Ministry of Transport and Communications
    • Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania
    • AB "Lithuanian Railways"
    • Kaunas County Governor's Administration
    • Marijampole County Governor's Administration
    • Paneveys County Governor's Administration
    • Siauliai County Governor's Administration
  • Poland
    • Ministry of Infrastructure
    • Polish Railway Lines Company
    • Marshall's Office of Podlaskie Voivodship
  • Estonia
    • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
    • Ministry of Interior
  • Finland
    • Ministry of Transport and Communications

  The Interreg III B programme is part-financed from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) covering the period 2000 – 2006. Strand B of the Interreg initiative supports transnational co-operation to enhance a more balanced and sustainable development of the European territory.