On 30 December 2015 the Finnish Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to adopt an agreement concerning direct international rail transport services between Finland and Russia. The agreement was signed in St. Petersburg on 28 April 2015, and the European Commission approved it on 5 August 2015.
The new agreement clarifies the rules and operability of rail transport services. It allows all rail transport undertakings located in Finland or elsewhere in the European Economic Area to operate in the Finnish rail network in rail transport services between Finland and Russia.
The agreement will not open up Russia's internal railway markets to undertakings operating in the EU, nor will it open Finnish markets to Russian railway operators.
The new agreement replaces the agreement, and its appendices, of 1997 on connecting railway transport. Both the new agreement and its technical appendices are meant to enter into force at the same time in 2016. The agreement must be ratified and it will come into force in 30 days after the exchange of the ratification documents. It is concluded for an unlimited period of time.
Inquiries:
Ms Silja Ruokola, Senior Government Adviser, tel. +358 40 580 0894, [email protected]
