1. NORTHERN AXIS AND EAST-WEST STRATEGIES Vladas STŪRYS Independent consultant BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

2. BACKGROUND BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

3. CHANGES – feature for the region. Last decades the transport system of the Baltic region have sustained structural changes; is sustaining crucial changes; will sustain significant changes in content ant quality. - Opening of ports and hinterland connections of the Eastern Germany, Poland and three Baltic countries - Interlinking insular Denmark with continental Scandinavia. Fehmarn link and Rail Baltica will face a region against new substantial changes in capability and potential. Changes in transport system of the Baltic region – catalyst and accelerator for political and economical processes. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

5. DRIVING FORCES BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

6. Development of the freight transport system in the Baltic Sea region was, is and will be affected by ambivalent driving forces: -logistic industry response to the market demand; - transport policies: EU and national. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

7. LOGISTIC INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO THE MARKET DEMAND Industries and trade freight logistics operators and infrastructure authorities. More influented by global market processes than local, regional or even EU factors. Result: - scope and quality of services; - effective networks and logistic chains of surface and waterborn freight transport. - development of new infrastructures, cargo handling equipments and technologies BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

8. EU AND NATIONAL TRANSPORT POLICIES - „Guidelines for transport in Europe and neighbouring regions“ from January 2007 - package of documents from October 18, 2007 (proposals concerning logistics, a rail network and European ports, the barrier-free European maritime transport area and the motorways of the sea), National transport policies and programs are emphasizing period of intensive revision in light of the significant EU guidelines. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

9. Brussels, 31.1.2007 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Extension of the major trans-European transport axes to the neighbouring countries Guidelines for transport in Europe and neighbouring regions BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

10. 1.2.2.Pan-European Corridors/Areas Pan-European Corridors and Areas (PEC) were developed during two Ministerial Conferences in Crete (1994) and in Helsinki (1997) with the aim of connecting the EU-15 with the then neighbouring countries. Following the 2004 and 2007 enlargements, the Corridors are now mainly within the EU and thus part of the TEN network. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

11. 2.1.Five axes to connect the EU and the neighbours The Commission considers that the extent of the Pan-European Corridor/Area concept needs to be updated to reflect the new geopolitical context following the EU enlargement and to better connect the major axes of the trans- European networks with those of the neighbouring countries. It therefore proposes to adopt the following five transnational axes, which are in line with those proposed by the High Level Group BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

12. Northern axis: Central axis South Eastern axis South Western axis BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

13. 2.1.1.Integration of the Pan-European Corridors/Areas In line with the views of the Pan-European Corridor Chairs, the Commission proposes to fully integrate the PECs into the new structures and to build on their expertise. Whilst most of the Pan-European Corridors I, IV, V, VI and VII are now in the territory of the EU and thus part of a priority project of the trans- European transport networks, the remaining Corridors are covered by the proposed five axes as follows: Northern axis incorporates the PEC II and the northern part of PEC IX. It also includes a land connection to the Pan-European Area of Barents linking Norway through Sweden and Finland with Russia. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

14. Developing conception and structure of the European transport networks, European Commission identified 5 major transport axes enabling them with comprehensive mission of responsibility for appropriate region of the EU: -to extend and complement the trans-European transport network by interconnecting it with the networks of the neighbouring countries; -to enable regional cooperation and integration; - to promote international exchanges and traffic. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

15. We do not need lot of definitions. Definition of the transport system of the Baltic Sea region as EU Transport system‘s NORTHERN AXIS is common acceptable. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

16. Self-identification of the transport system of the region is prerequisite before to shape a strategy: It is reality that: - we are undivided part of entire EU transport system; -we are a neighbours-linking area of EU; -we are well regionaly integrated to serve as backobone for competitiveness of the BSR as global economical force. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

17. C.1. PRIORITIES OF THE TRANSPORT POLICY IN NORTHERN AXIS Priority 1. TRANSPORT COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION INSIDE THE REGION. Priority 2. INTEGRATION INTO THE MODERNIZED TRANSEUROPEAN NETWORK Priority 3. INTERCONNECTING THE REGION AND EU WITH NETWORKS OF THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

18. Transport systems of Russia and Byelorussia are two neighbouring systems for the EU Northern axis. Folloowing alignments of the Northern axis connections towards neighbouring countries are essential: 1.Multimodal connection Finnish border - St Petersburg-Moscow 2.Rail freight connection St. Petersburg - Vologda - Moscow/trans-Siberian 3.Multimodal connections from relevant Baltic ports to Minsk/Moscow 4.Multimodal connection in Norway of the TEN the Nordic Triangle 5.Multimodal connection St Petersburg-Vartius- Tornio - Haparanda – Narvik Fair and non-discriminatory access to corridors and transhipment facilities for operators and customers of these facilities is a requirement for comodality and should be ensured. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

19. Northern axis: Central axis South Eastern axis South Western axis BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

20. It is of high importance that south- north oriented transport corridors will join northern part of the BSR with center of Europe along both – eastern (Rail Baltica) and western coasts of the Baltic Sea. At the same time development of transport corridors on east-west direction across the BSR should have strong support. Project East West Transport Coridor (Esbjerg – Vilnius) is first attempt in a region to join tangentialy developed systems on different coasts of the Baltic Sea into one intermodal transport and logistic chain. This project is a good exercise of fluent continuity of the PanEuropean transport corridor IXb towards integral part of the Northern axis. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

21. THANK YOU FOR KIND ATTENTION! BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

22. Vladas Stūrys Independent consultant for transport, logistics and marketing. Tel. +370 698 23775 v.sturys@zebra.lt v.sturys@zebra.lt BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

28. Northern axis: to connect the northern EU with Norway to the north and with Belarus and Russia to the east. A connection to the Barents region linking Norway through Sweden and Finland with Russia is also foreseen. Central axis: to link the centre of the EU to Ukraine and the Black Sea and through an inland waterway connection to the Caspian Sea. A direct connection from Ukraine to the Trans-Siberian railway and a link from the Don/Volga inland waterway to the Baltic Sea are also included. South Eastern axis: to link the EU with the Balkans and Turkey and further with the Southern Caucasus and the Caspian Sea as well as with the Middle East up to Egypt and the Red Sea. South Western axis: to connect the south-western EU with Switzerland and Morocco, including the trans-Maghrebin link connecting Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and its extension to Egypt. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008

30. -we are a neighbours-linking area of EU; - to enable regional cooperation and integration; - we are undivided part of entire EU transport system; - to extend and complement the trans- European transport network by interconnecting it with the networks of the neighbouring countries; -we are well regionaly integrated to serve as backobone for competitiveness of the BSR as global economical force. - to promote international exchanges and traffic. BALTICNESS Vilnius May 9, 2008