“Rail Baltica is not a project of one government or one budget year. It is a shared commitment by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to build a European-gauge railway that will strengthen our connections, economy and security. If we want to launch rail services by the end of this decade, we need to maintain the pace of construction and jointly stand for strong funding for the project in the next European Union budget,” said Minister of Infrastructure of Estonia Kuldar Leis at the meeting.
The importance of cooperation between the Baltic States was also emphasised by the Latvian and Lithuanian ministers. “As a project of strategic importance, Rail Baltica calls for close coordination among the Baltic states. Together, we can unlock greater opportunities for passenger and freight transport, strengthen dual-use infrastructure, and secure long-term EU funding, contributing to stronger regional security and resilience,” said Juras Taminskas, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania.
“Rail Baltica is not a national project delivered in isolation, but a complex cross-border European infrastructure initiative. The successful implementation of the project is possible only through close cooperation among the Baltic States, a clear security dimension, and sustained EU support under the next Multiannual Financial Framework," said Atis Švinka, Minister of Transport of Latvia
Kristīne Pudiste, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Latvia, who also attended the meeting, confirmed the continued priority of the project. “Latvia continues to advance the project’s mainline construction, design, and preparatory works in a pragmatic and financially responsible manner. Recognising its central role in the Rail Baltica corridor and its international commitments, Latvia confirms that the project remains a strategic priority,” said Pudiste.
At the meeting, the ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding on self-driving vehicles. In the memorandum, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania agreed on closer cooperation to support the development of self-driving vehicles and related services.
The memorandum covers both passenger and freight transport. Among other things, it foresees that the countries will exchange information on their rules and testing activities, seek opportunities for better alignment and cooperate at the European Union level. The aim is to make it easier in the future to develop solutions related to self-driving vehicles across the borders of the Baltic States.
According to Leis, the Baltic States have good reason to act jointly in this field. “The development of self-driving vehicles is not only a question of technology, but also of whether countries’ rules and working arrangements allow new solutions to be tested and further developed in practice. If Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania move forward together in this field, it will be easier for our companies to think in terms of the entire Baltic region rather than three separate markets,” said the Minister of Infrastructure of Estonia.
The ministers also discussed the development of Via Baltica, road transport operations with third countries, and north-south rail freight transport on the existing railway network.
