Baltic States – CIS, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Port, Railways, Transport

Photo: EVR Cargo

"The work of the transit committee and the search for new opportunities must be consistent and not just a onetime event. Progression can be seen in the transit sector, but the situation can be improved and I consider it necessary that the leading forces of the field together find opportunities to take advantage of global transit trends," Simson said in a press release.

The government's recent decisions to invest additional funds in larger infrastructure projects elicit the need to systematically analyze what kind of new opportunities will give better transport links for the development of the transit sector, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications said.

The committee on Wednesday will discuss opportunities if and what kind of role Estonia plays in the carriage of goods between China and Europe -- which kind of points in the world goods should travel from and to so that they travel through Estonia and how Estonia can offer a faster and more competitive journey specifically for transit goods moving between China and Europe.

"China is a global economic power and more and more Europeans are consuming goods produced in China and vice versa. This trend has been constantly increasing and a powerful growth can also be expected in the future," the ministry said.

The committee members are also scheduled to discuss opportunities to increase the competitiveness of transit moving along waterways through harmonizing the user fees of waterways.

As Russian transit travelling through Estonia has for the most part been behind securing the funding for Estonian railway infrastructure in the past years, then imposing sanctions and Russia's own economic policy decisions have elicited the need to review the methodology of railway infrastructure charge.

The transit committee has been called into existence by Simson and includes representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Tax and Customs Board, the Technical Supervision Authority, the Maritime Administration, the Logistics and Transit Association and the Association of Estonian International Road Carriers. Of companies, the committee includes representatives of Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railways), Port of Tallinn, Rail Baltic Estonia, EVR Cargo, Port of Sillamae, Alexela Oil, VOPAK E.O.S., E.R.S. and Kuhne + Nagel. The tasks of the committee include making proposals in the field of legislative drafting, sectoral strategies, external communication and financing  in order to ensure the competitiveness of Estonian transport companies and promote economic growth. The committee is headed by the minister of economic affairs and infrastructure.