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Finland's track gauge is changing: "We are starting from the north, and we have strong support from NATO," says Minister Lulu Ranne
The Nordic ministers issued a statement on military mobility between the countries.
Finland is preparing for a change in track gauge.
Finland is planning to switch to the European standard gauge. According to Transport Minister Lulu Rante, the government must make a national decision on changing the gauge by July 2027.
Changes to the track gauge would start north of Oulu.
The project is based on improving security of supply and military mobility, as well as developing cross-border connections to Sweden and Norway.
This is not just a Finnish issue, but a joint project of the whole of Europe and NATO, Ranne said at a press conference for the informal meeting of Nordic transport ministers in Helsinki.
According to Rante, now is the right time for Finland to join the standard width.
The need for funding is great, but the EU can support the planning by up to 50 percent and the construction by about 30 percent. However, implementation will not happen quickly. Work can start in the early 2030s at the earliest, Ranne emphasized.
– Of course, we are very pragmatic and realistic, we cannot do this in five years. We are planning until the end of the decade, and maybe in 2032 we can start construction.
Ministers gather to discuss transport from a military perspective
The transport ministers of Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark met today in Helsinki.
The ministers issued a joint statement on military mobility and security of supply.
The Nordic transport ministers also agree that the planning of the national transport system must take into account preparedness, military mobility and security of supply, the ministers declared and assured their consensus.
According to it, "it is important to recognize" cross-border military movement.
– It is important for all of us that the Nordic countries cooperate, even when it comes to logistics-related matters, not only military but also civilian, Finnish Minister of Transport Lulu Ranne said at a press conference.
– The current geopolitical situation, together with Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership, further emphasizes the importance of comprehensive Nordic cooperation.
Ranne stated that the transportation sector is also the basis for military operations.
– If the transportation system is destroyed, then our military forces, our equipment, our defense forces cannot function. And protect us, defend us as they should.
Informal meeting on transport
The ministers also agree that preparedness, military mobility and security of supply should be taken into account in national transport system planning, in close cooperation with the defence authorities. The transport ministers also recognise the importance of regional Nordic cooperation and information sharing within the NATO context.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also increased cooperation between the Ministry of Transport.
The informal meeting of Nordic transport ministers focused on cooperation in transport system planning and maritime safety. The ministers discussed transport system cooperation, including from a preparedness perspective, and received an update on the European track gauge.
The ministers issued a joint statement. The statement highlights the importance of cross-border military mobility, civil preparedness and security of supply in both the Nordic transport system strategy and the countries' national transport system planning.
Tomorrow's talk about shadow fleets in the Baltic Sea
The informal meeting of transport ministers will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, May 14. The ministers will discuss maritime safety, including the shadow fleet.
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