Ukraine, Moldova and the European Commission signed an agreement to improve transport connectivity

The European Commission signed high-level agreements with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on Friday to revise the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) on their territories and improve connections with the EU, according to a press release from the European executive. The revised TEN-T maps for both countries reflect new transport priorities following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The changes will be reflected in the new TEN-T regulation when it enters into force in early 2024 and will further expand four European transport corridors in Ukraine and Moldova.

According to the European Commission, the revised Trans-European Transport Network will set the mandatory targets:

Passenger railway lines on the TEN-T core and extended core network shall allow trains to travel at 160 km/h or faster by 2040. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) must be rolled out on the entire TEN-T network as the single European signalling system in Europe to make rail safer and more efficient.

Consequently, national legacy ‘class B’ systems must be decommissioned progressively; this will incentivise European industry to invest in ERTMS. Safe and secure parking areas shall be developed on the core and extended core road network of the TEN-T by 2040, on average every 150 km. This is key to assuring safety and appropriate working conditions for professional drivers. Major airports, dealing with more than 12 million passengers annually, will have to be connected by long-distance rail, a major step towards improving connectivity and accessibility for passengers and strengthening the competitiveness of rail vis-a-vis domestic flights.

The number of transhipment terminals must develop in line with the current and expected traffic flows and the needs of the sector. Equally handling capacity at freight terminals must improve. This, as well as allowing the circulation of 740m trains across the network, will help shift more freight onto more sustainable transport modes and give a push to Europe’s combined transport sector (the use of combinations such as rail-road to move freight). All 430 major cities along the TEN-T network will have to develop Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans to promote zero and low emission mobility.

 The European Maritime Space aims to integrate the maritime space with other transport modes efficiently, viably and sustainably. For this purpose, short-sea shipping routes will be upgraded and new ones will be created, while maritime ports will be further developed as well as their hinterland connections.

The project sets out daring goals for completion.

To assure the timely completion of the network – by 2030 for the core network, 2040 for the extended core network, and 2050 for the comprehensive network – this agreement also includes better governance, with for instance implementing acts for the main cross-border sections and other specific national sections along the nine European Transport Corridors. This, together with greater alignment between national transport and investment plans and TEN-T objectives, will ensure coherence when priorities are set for infrastructure and investment, the Commission’s press release mentions.

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