The heads of four strategic European cross-border projects – Rail Baltica, the Lyon-Turin Tunnel (TELT), the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT) and the Seine-North Europe Canal – have issued a joint statement calling on the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU Member States to maintain a centralised approach to funding under the Connecting Europe Facility III (CEF III). They believe that the move to national plans could delay the implementation of key TEN-T transport corridors that are important for economic integration, climate goals and the stability of Europe.
The priorities include strengthening CEF III, sustainable long-term financing, reducing administrative barriers, focusing on public-private partnerships and prioritising pan-European corridors. RB Rail AS CEO Marko Kiivila noted that Rail Baltica has already moved from design to construction in all three Baltic countries and emphasised that the project embodies strategic mobility and European unity.
Significant progress has already been made on each project: on the Lyon-Turin section, 11 construction sites are active, 25% of the tunnels have been dug; BBT has completed more than 86% of the underground works and is preparing to accelerate the transition of goods from road to rail; the Seine-Northern Europe Canal is completing the first bridges and building the first lock. All participants stress that further progress is only possible with stable support from the EU.