The European Court of Auditors has reviewed the implementation of eight major infrastructure megaprojects in 13 European countries that form the core of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). These include Rail Baltica, a European gauge railway, the Lyon-Turin Alpine Tunnel, the Brenner Base Tunnel, the Fehmarn Belt undersea tunnel between Germany and Denmark, and other key projects. Given the current geopolitical situation, the auditors emphasized that a unified EU transport network is critical for military mobility and resilience, and Rail Baltica plays a special role on Europe’s eastern flank.
Lithuania was recognized as the country that has made the most progress since the project’s inception. Currently, 114 km of the line between Kaunas and Panevėžys is under construction, 8.8 km of track has been laid on the most advanced section, and 96 km of the line from the Polish border to Kaunas is being modernized. Procurement procedures for the design of the Panevėžys-Latvia section, maintenance depots, and regional stations have been launched, and a special plan for the Kaunas-Vilnius line is expected to be approved this year. This pace of implementation allows Lithuania to attract EU funding annually and maintain its goal of completing Rail Baltica by the end of 2030.
The EU Court of Auditors also noted the importance of long-term and stable support from the European Union, emphasizing the need to reduce funding gaps between multi-annual budget periods. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the Baltic states, together with the European Commission, decided to focus on the construction of the main high-speed line using standard gauge by 2030. An updated cost-benefit analysis prepared by the Boston Consulting Group confirmed the feasibility of this approach, which will allow for the more rapid realization of the project’s economic and strategic benefits. Further expansion of the network will depend on the new long-term EU budget, which is currently being negotiated.