“Revision and renewal of the Trans-European Transport Network provides an opportunity to develop additional multimodal links along the eastern borders of the European Union in the North-South direction. One of Lithuania’s strategic goals is to create optimal conditions in cooperation with neighbouring countries to transport freight by combining different modes of transport, and increase the use of rail transport, especially in the current geopolitical context,” said Deputy Minister Julius Skačkauskas at the conference.
The Trans-European Transport Corridor North Sea-Baltic crosses the territory of Lithuania. The most important connections within this transport corridor are Rail Baltica, Via Baltica and Via Carpatia, connecting the Baltic region to the countries of Western and Southern Europe through Poland.
According to the Deputy Minister, Rail Baltica is the most important railway project in this transport corridor. It offers clear opportunities for the Baltic region to improve international connectivity and economic competitiveness, to increase attractiveness for foreign investment, and to strengthen transport and logistics activities. This year, Lithuania will begin large-scale construction of the European gauge railway line from Kaunas towards Latvia.
Lithuania is in close contact with Poland, through which Rail Baltica connects to other Western European connections, in order to develop the North Sea-Baltic Corridor. Last year, after the European gauge railway reached the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal, Lithuanian and Polish rail freight companies started regularly transporting goods to the Benelux countries and Germany. New European markets are being further sought. One of them is a new direction to Northern Italy, which is planned to be launched in the coming years.
“We need to work actively to diversify freight transport. It is especially important for Lithuania to develop transport corridors through the Carpathians towards the Black and Aegean Seas, as well as to cooperate with Poland, Ukraine and other countries of the region to promote the transportation of semi-trailers by rail,” said Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Julius Skačkauskas.
The annual conference “Europe of the Carpathians” taking place in Krasiczyn (Poland) on 5-6 February, together with the Carpathian countries – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic and Ukraine – is also attended by Lithuania and other countries. The participants are sharing experiences and ideas on cooperation between the countries to strengthen communication not only in the Carpathian region, but also in Central and Eastern Europe.
