Latvia will call on the EC to include funding for the transport sector in the next EU multiannual budget

RIGA - Latvia will call on the European Commission to reduce the administrative burden and provide funding for the transport sector in the next multiannual budget of the European Union (EU), representatives of the Ministry of Transport (MoT) informed LETA.

A meeting of the heads of EU institutions responsible for the development of the transport sector is taking place in Brussels on Friday to discuss the challenges of achieving green targets in transport, the priorities of the Member States with a view to the new priorities of the European Commission, the simplification of EU regulation and the challenges related to its implementation and the financing of rail transport. Elina Simina-Neverovska, Deputy State Secretary of the MoT, is attending the meeting and representing Latvia.

During the discussions, Simina-Neverovska will highlight the priority areas that will make the biggest contribution to achieving the green objectives and which require concerted action at EU level. These include the development of the TEN-T network, the role and future role of rail transport in the transport system, attracting public and private funding for cross-border connectivity and military mobility, and solutions for decarbonization of transport, the ministry said.

The MoT also states that Latvia believes it is important to develop new, secure transport corridors to reduce the EU's dependence on external geopolitical factors. At the same time, according to the MoT, it is clear that these challenges require EU funding, so it is essential that transport is adequately funded in the discussions on the next EU multiannual budget.

The different situations and challenges of the Member States must be taken into account when planning sustainable transport development within the EU, the MoT points out. Given the geopolitical situation, the Latvian transport sector faces a number of challenges and complexities. The MoT stresses that the backbone of a sustainable transport system is and will remain rail transport.

Therefore, Latvia's priority is the implementation of the Rail Baltica project, which is the main missing link in the North-South route. At the same time, additional EU funding is critical for the project. Also, as Simina-Neverovska notes, rail must ensure synergies with other modes of transport. Latvia will therefore call on the European Commission to review its proposals and come up with a new sustainable transport support mechanism.