Infrastructure investments – source of future well-being Sabina Lindström, Director-General Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland

The world is changing – How does the EU maintain its competitiveness? Services Data Climate Networks There has been remarkable development in many areas of transport sector – climate objectives, the increasing importance of data, development of transport services and lack of funding of infrastructure investments, a few to mention. In the future climate change, urbanization and technical developments are bringing us towards more service-based transport solutions. Europe can become a global leader in the development of this kind of service models only if we have a competitive infrastructure, physical as well as digital. We need to respond these changes and challenges immediately because it takes years or even decades for the effects of decisions to be visible. Infrastructure planning is an area where a long-term view is required. Functioning transport network is a real asset in maintaining the competitiveness and we have to make sure that it is being developed target-oriented and reasonable. Our transport infrastructure can’t work as a barrier to development.

TEN-T Network TEN Guidelines and CEF Regulation enable sustainability, safety, competitiveness and economic growth Infrastructure investments are not just items of expenses! Public funding alone isn’t enough - we need new ideas to bring together also private sector financing. It’s important to recognize, that the trans-European transport network has a decisive role in boosting economic development and cohesion in the EU as well as responding to these remarkable changes and challenges we are facing. Connecting Europe Facility (CEF2) promotes European competitiveness and economic growth. In addition, it supports the achievement of the objectives set for European climate policy, which further underlines its importance. We have to ensure that in the future our European transport system enables socially and regionally sustainable development. TEN Guidelines and CEF Regulation should work as strong incentives to switch to sustainable, safer and more user friendly transport modes. CEF2 can be a useful tool when building sustainable Europe. CEF regulation is completely dependable on the negotiations concerning EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) regulation. During our presidency, we are committed to working hard so that the Council could reach an agreement on the MFF regulation by the end of this year. It should be evident, that infrastructure investments are not just items of expenses. They need to be seen as investments for the future and enablers of the future competitiveness, well-being and economic growth. Cost effective infrastructure investments increase economic growth and predictable development of the European transport system acts as a solid breeding ground for companies to grow and plan their future actions. This point a view requires changes in general mind setting. It’s also clear that we are not able to cover all the important infrastructure investment needs by public funding alone. We need new ideas to bring together also private sector financing. Here we have an opportunity for sharing best practices. To attract private financing, the Finnish government decided in February to establish a state-owned company to finance large-scale rail transport investments. Preparations for the railway project companies are underway.

Overview of the transport system In Finland we are preparing our first ever national transport system plan right now. This comprehensive plan with a timespan for 12 years will give us more coherent approach on how we can improve our long term planning of our national and European TEN-T networks. It will help us see how we can in an economically and environmentally sound manner develop and maintain our national and European networks and the transport system as a whole. The transport system plan consists of transport networks and also the supporting infrastructure such as communication and electricity networks. The plan also consists of mobility and transport services for customers, data and for example traffic control and management. We are trying to make a comprehensive vision over the transport system in order to gain widely approved national plan, which guides the whole administration as well as regional transport system planning.

Overall picture of the transport system plan’s impact assessment We have still lot to do in order to understand truly for example the wider economic impacts of infrastructure investments considered. Extensive impact assessment ensures that the decisions made are in conformity with the objectives set for the transport system. Here’s one example on how impact assessment could be approached. Sustainability is being explored from many various angles. Accessibility and quality of service for travel and transport highlight customer-oriented approach. Safety can never be forgotten. We are well aware, that there’s a lack of some crucial information and methods on how to assess these impacts. Especially we are prepared to develop tools for economic impacts in the future in order to develop the process of strategic planning. It will require many years of hard work and determination, but we are committed on it. The aim is to improve the planning process year after year to make the impacts of transport infrastructure investments visible.

Thank you! lvm.fi @lvmfi @LindstromSabina