Roundtable Rail Baltica and Helsinki-Tallinn Twin-City development

November 13, 2009 12.00 – 17.00

Venue: Tallinn, National Library, Tõnismägi 2, small conference hall

Programme

12.00 Coffee

12.30

Opening speech: Mr. Jaanus Mutli, Deputy Mayor of Tallinn

Keynote speeches: Mr. James Pond, EU Commission, DG Tren

Mr. Bruno Fontalirand, personal advisor of the President of the Conseil Général du Pas-de-Calais

13.05 Round Table

Moderator: Mr. Illimar Paul, Chairman of the Board, PROLOG-Estonian Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Association

13.10

Speakers:

1. Rail Baltica and the inter-regional transport systems

Mr. Risto Murto, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Senior Engineer, Transport System Unit

Mr. Toomas Haidak, Head of Transport Development Department, Ministry of Economy and Transport

Comments

13.45 – 14.15 Sandwich lunch

14.15

2. Transport and spatial planning initiatives for regional competitiveness

Mr. Hannu Penttilä, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki

Mr. Toomas Paaver, Advisor of Planning Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs

Mr. Olli-Pekka Hatanpää, Planning Chief, Uusimaa Regional Council

Mr. Kaur Lass, CEO, Llc Head

Comments

14.45

3. Transport infrastructure and business scenarios for integrated and connected Baltic Sea region

Mr. Kari Konsin, Head of International Affairs, Finnish Rail Administration

Mr. Kaido Simmermann, Chairman of Management Board, Estonian Railways

Mr. Allan Kiil, member of the Management Board, Port of Tallinn

Mr. Heikki Nissinen, Director, Port of Helsinki

Mr. Riivo Sinijärv, Chairman of the Board, Navirail OÜ

Comments

15.30

4. Twin-regional connectivity and inter-modality

Mr. Erik Terk, Director, Estonian Institute for Futures Studies Tallinn University

Mr. Raivo Vare, Chairman of the Board, Development Foundation, logistics consultant

Mr. Peter Ache, Professor for European Metropolitan Planning, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies

Comments

16.00

Closing Remarks: Mr. Pekka Sauri, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki, Chairman of the Board of Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio

 

Files :

Fontalirand

Illimar Paul

Risto Murto

Haidak

Penttila

Kaur Lass

Heikki Nissinen

Raivo Vare

Peter Ache

We were looking for views and insight on the following topics:

• the role of Rail Baltica for Talsinki integration, the role for economic growth in Estonia and Finland
• the importance and impact of Rail Baltica including its Helsinki-Tallinn link (either ferry, rail ferry or tunnel) for the wider area – Russia, Southern Baltic Sea Region
• logistics system in the Baltic Sea Region, views from national and EU level
• views of the representatives of transport enterprises
• local and regional views on twin-city development, integration, mobility, environmental aspects
• potentials and realism in the Baltic Sea Region

Background information

NPO Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio is currently preparing a project “Twin-region development”. Its long-term objective is creating an economically competitive and innovative region by uniting Helsinki and Tallinn capital regions. In general terms, it is aiming at promoting sustainable accessibility and mobility of people and services within the region. During the project three different scenarios of transport development will be analyzed from the point of view of further regional economic integration. The three scenarios that will be investigated include improvement of the present ferry system, a fixed link and a train ferry. Assessment of strategies will be concluded in developing of common twin-region’s vision.

Integration of Helsinki and Tallinn capital regions today is delimited by shortages of the present transport systems. Ferry services, although effective as such, do not support daily and year round commuting. Fast, regular and reliable transport services enabling commuting and labour mobility is the essential precondition for further economic integration and thus competitiveness of the twin-metropolitan region.

The first efforts of analyzing regional development aspects of north-south transport corridor have been made in connection to Rail Baltica project with the idea to develop high-quality connections for passenger and freight transport between the Baltic States and other EU countries through Warsaw. However, the comparisons of the socio-economic impacts of various transport connection options between Helsinki-Tallinn have not been made yet. Thus, the present project continues solving the issues raised in the Rail Baltica project. It is directly linked to Rail Baltica Growth Corridor project involving cities from Berlin to St. Petersburg and lead by Helsinki, aiming at creation of a well-functioning transport network in the Eastern Baltic Sea Region.

The round-table meeting will contribute to the better development of the project.