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EU FUNDS AND LITHUANIAN TRANSPORT SECTOR

 As of the 1st of May 2004, after the accession to the European Union (EU), Lithuania started the implementation of the EU Regional Politics which aims at the reduction of development differences among the regions and at the promotion of the development of less-favoured regions. A possibility to use the Cohesion and the Structural Funds has opened up as of that date.

Taking into consideration the experience of other EU Member States, i.e., the old Member Sates receiving support from the EU Funds, it is noted that infrastructure development is given a special attention – the biggest part of the Cohesion and the European Regional Development Fund (one of the EU Structural Funds) finances are allocated for the reconstruction and modernisation of transport infrastructure.

The abolition of the borders in the enlarged EU further enhanced exchange of goods between the European countries what was the cause of the transformation from “storage” economy to the economy of “flows” where a good is delivered to a specific place. Besides, the underlying provision of the White Paper 1 [1] also states that European transport policy should focus on the fulfilment of society needs, extension of passenger rights, improvement of traffic security ensuring the provision of high quality services and modernising the main transport infrastructure objects.

The current investment of Lithuanian transport sector is mainly allocated for the improvement of existing infrastructure, service of increasing international and local flows of passengers and freight aiming for the compliance with international standards.

According to the main approved strategic documents such as the Strategy of Cohesion Fund and the Single Programming Document, during 2004-2006 Lithuanian transport sector is to receive approximately 1.541 million Litas from the EU funds, 1.050 million Litas of that sum will be granted form the Cohesion Fund and approximately 491 million Litas – from the Structural Funds.

Major investment from the Cohesion Fund is intended for the modernisation and reconstruction of connections to the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) which cross the territory of Lithuania , i.e., I, IA, IXB and IXD as well as other related transport networks. This investment will be used for the improvement of transport infrastructure in order its technical parameters would fully comply with the set requirements, international standards and would meet the needs of increasing flow of passengers and freight. The priority of financing from this Fund is granted to such projects which are fully prepared for the implementation and satisfy the criteria set for TEN-T transport network and laid down in the Guidelines No.1692/96 of the European Council.

With the use of finances from the European Regional Development Fund it is planned to carry out transport sector investment projects which would ensure good access to trans-European networks, organise traffic in city streets and reduce traffic jams. This would fully satisfy interests of the society and would efficiently contribute to the improvement of communication situation in the country paying attention to the present and future needs of passenger and freight transportation, i.e., first of all these projects must be technically and economically grounded and their positive impact must be of long term.

Information prepared by
Budget and State Property Management Department

 

 


Atnaujinta: 2013-04-25 14:52:23