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The European Commission and more specifically DG MOVE is tasked with finding answers to that question – How could the transport system work better, especially on cross-border journeys? Transport is the backbone of our economy, so it is worth investing time, energy and money into the network, in order to make transport work better for all of us.

Close cooperation and collaboration on cross-border projects yields huge returns, allowing the free-flow of goods and people between countries. Going it alone can mean the return on infrastructure investment is severely diminished. For instance, there is little value in upgrading ferry port facilities in Helsinki to take bigger vessels if the port at Tallinn or Stockholm cannot handle the larger ship.

Similarly there is little value in Latvia building a four-lane highway, only to meet a country lane in Estonia or Lithuania.

To address these issues, and to get the maximum return for each euro spent, the EU has developed the Trans-European Network. It aims to eliminate bottlenecks at borders across Europe, facilitating the free-flow of passengers, goods and services. Its main funding instrument is the Connecting Europe Facility or CEF, worth about €24.05 billion between 2014 and 2020.

We have also learned that once the borders are lifted and cross-border transport can operate freely, the benefits are quick and imminent for businesses and for people. Where cross-border obstacles still remain, the progress and benefits are limited. It is essential to make sure that cross-border transport is smooth and efficient, if we want to reap all benefits that transport can offer. Rail Baltic and the Fehrman Belt link are two major projects worth highlighting in more detail.

Rail Baltic

Rail Baltic is an excellent example in cross-border cooperation. This joint project between the Baltic States, Poland and Finland is being largely funded by the CEF. It is the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the history of the Baltic States, and under the CEF it has received around €750 million, of EU co-funding available under the respective national allocations of the Baltic States. The current Baltic railway network and train carriages cannot be used to connect to the railway network of Poland and Germany. However Rail Baltic will see European width railway connect Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania but equally Finland and Poland to each other as well as to the other

countries of the European Union.

The Fehrman Belt Link

Another major project which will have a positive impact in the Baltic Rim, is the construction of the The Fehrman Belt. This link will connect Denmark with Germany and will remove a cross-border bottleneck by the construction of the new immersed rail/road tunnel under the 19 km wide Fehmarn strait between Denmark and Germany, reducing travel time between Copenhagen and Hamburg for passengers by one hour and for rail freight transport by approximately two hours. The total construction cost of the Fehmarn Belt fixed link is expected to be approximately €5.4 billion. The EU provided €204 million for studies and works as part of the TEN-T programme, in the 2007-2013 funding period. In 2014, the CEF allocated a further €589 million.

Ports

are a key part of our transport infrastructure. The EU is supporting Baltic ports in three corridors: Baltic-Adriatic, North Sea-Baltic and Scandinavian-Mediterranean, as well as under the Motorways of the Sea programme. Thanks to the CEF, we will have committed just over €1 billion in grants to ports and their connections by the end of 2016. €501 million of this will directly or indirectly benefit Baltic ports.

Although it is relatively easy to travel across Europe by road there are outstanding issues to be tackled. In this regard, the Commission hopes to present a set of road initiatives in 2017. Its main aims will be to clarify and simplify the rules to reduce administrative burden for haulage services travelling across the continent, to ensure good enforceability of EU law in all states, to provide a level-playing field for operators. Cabotage rules, conditions for stable establishment, opening of passenger market, access to bus and coach terminals and road charging are other specific issues to be addressed. The road initiatives will ensure the Baltic region is better connected to a strengthened EU road system.

Given its nature, aviation is perhaps the sector most dependent on cross-border cooperation. The Aviation Strategy for Europe, launched less than 12 months ago is already delivering for Europe.

Through it, the Commission will ensure that European Single Aviation Area continues to develop in order to be able to compete with fast-growing aviation markets such as the Middle East or Asia. Connectivity for the Baltic region with the rest of Europe and the world is essential. With air passenger numbers continuing to grow, issues around capacity and congestion will also need to be overcome. Enhanced connectivity would serve the economy, businesses and people better.

Research and Innovation programmes are critical to make the transport network sustainable and safer. R&I will also help Europe to remain competitive in the face of tough global competition. Developing new and innovative solutions is an opportunity to be seized. In Air Traffic Management, innovative solutions through SESAR are helping to cut congestion, optimise the use of existing (and expensive) infrastructure, as well as cutting emissions. On the rail network, the ERTMS signalling system is making our rail network safer, but it is also fast becoming a gold standard across the world. There are other developments too, such as introducing fully interoperable e-tolling systems

on our roads and developing standards for connected vehicles and connected infrastructure. All of this is in addition to the Horizon 2020

Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020)

Despite the clear benefits, cooperation and collaboration is not always easy. Different administrations have different ideas, budgets and political priorities, but things are improving. The bigger picture isimportant, and although alone we might move faster, together we go much further. That is a message that every policy maker should keep in their minds.

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