photo: Dennis G. Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons/High-speed train in France
A coalition of eleven EU leaders, including the Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala, is urging the European Commission to boost funding for high-speed rail. Their joint letter focused on the critical role of EU co-financing in connecting Europe, driving economic growth, and decarbonizing transport.
Eleven leaders of EU member states, including the Czech Republic, have united in a call for the European Commission to support the expansion of high-speed rail. In their letter, they emphasize the importance of EU co-financing for these projects, which should enhance European connectivity, stimulate economic growth, and contribute to transport decarbonization, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on social media.
"The Czech Republic as a leader in the future development of high-speed rail in Europe! Our initiative, supported by nine other EU member states, opens an important discussion on the expansion and financing of high-speed rail in the coming years," Fiala wrote, stressing that a better-connected Europe is key to prosperity and economic growth. According to him, EU financial support is crucial and provides significant added value.
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Alongside the Czech Prime Minister, the letter was signed by Estonian PM Kristen Michal, Slovak PM Robert Fico, Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Latvian PM Evika Siliņa, Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Portuguese PM Luís Montenegro, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
In their letter, these leaders urge the EU to prioritize work on key projects with high European added value, specifically calling for an action plan to develop a European high-speed rail network that connects capitals and major regions. They agree that the lack of high-speed rail links is a major barrier to an efficiently functioning internal market.
"Completing European transport corridors through the expansion of high-speed rail connections between capitals and major cities across the EU will significantly contribute to the decarbonization of the transport sector at the European level. At the same time, it will strengthen the EU’s resilience, including in terms of military mobility," the letter states, noting that many projects are already under construction or in their final preparatory phases. The leaders also address alternative financing methods and emphasize the need for strong support from European Investment Bank policies.
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Negotiations on the EU’s next seven-year budget framework (2028–2034) are expected to begin in Brussels in the coming months.
"The Chamber of Commerce welcomes the Ministry of Transport’s initiative to secure funding for high-speed rail projects in the Czech Republic and Central Europe. The involvement of additional states in this initiative is highly beneficial. The Central European high-speed rail network was included in the TEN-T network thanks to joint efforts in 2021-2022. This inclusion opens up the possibility of funding high-speed rail projects through the CEF fund, beyond what is already available for railway financing in the Czech Republic. Success will depend on initiative and joint efforts. Negotiations on the future EU budget will be extremely challenging, so it is essential to take proactive steps at the highest government level," said Jan Sechter, Chairman of the Transport Section, in a statement to RAILTARGET.
Source: ČTK