EC FEASIBILITY STUDY TO BETTER CONNECT UKRAINIAN & MOLDOVAN RAILWAY NETWORKS WITH EU
On 21 October, the European Commission together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) launched a feasibility study to assess how to better connect the Ukrainian and Moldovan railway networks with the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). This study should function as a key step in preparing for better EU–Ukraine and Moldova connectivity after the war.
The rail gauge used in most of the EU is different to the one in Eastern Europe, which makes it difficult to ship goods in both directions. This could be solved by extending the EU railway gauge across the borders from Poland and Romania into Ukraine and Moldova. The study is one of the medium- to long-term measures set out in the Solidarity Lanes action plan and is also closely linked to the Commission’s July 2022 proposal on the extension of the TEN-T to Ukraine and Moldova. The aim is to prepare for longer-term solutions, supporting Ukraine in its post-war trade and the reconstruction of the country, aiming, in particular, to remove the interoperability gap at borders. The study shall be completed by May 2023, in close cooperation with all countries concerned.
Source: European Commission – DG MOVE