Map of Trans-European Transport Network in Finland published

The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is defined in the new Regulation on European Union guidelines for the development of the TEN-T network. The regulation also lays down provisions on the quality requirements for the network corridors and transport nodes. On 10 April 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Communications published maps showing Finland’s TEN-T network in accordance with the new Regulation.

On 18 December 2023, the Member States, Parliament and Commission of the European Union reached a provisional agreement on the Regulation. The agreement has been adopted by the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States (Coreper). It still needs to be formally adopted by the Council of the European Union and by the European Parliament.  The revised Regulation is likely to enter into force in summer 2024.

New highways and ports included in the network

New highways added to the network include port connections on main road 25 between Hanko and Mäntsälä, main road 15 between Kotka and Kouvola, and main road 12 between Rauma, Tampere and Tuulos.

As main road 21 from Tornio to the Norwegian border will be added to the TEN-T network, the European route E8 from Turku in Finland to Norway will, as a whole, be part of the comprehensive network.

Additions to the extended core network include the Airport line, the track section of the western rail line between Helsinki and Turku and the eastern rail line track section. 

The port of Kaskinen maintains its status in the comprehensive network. The port of Oulu will be included in the core network. The ports of Tornio, Inkoo, Joensuu and Lappeenranta were added to the comprehensive network. The port of Pietarsaari will no longer be part of the TEN-T network.

What is TEN-T?

1. TEN-T refers to the Trans-European Transport Network, which promotes the sustainable mobility of people and goods between Member States as seamlessly as possible.

2. TEN-T links European roads, railways, inland waterways, sea and air connections, urban nodes and multimodal freight terminals into an extensive transport network.

3. TEN-T comprises a comprehensive network, a core network and an extended core network.

4. According to the new proposal, the network will be built in three stages: the core network will be completed by 2030, the extended core network by 2040 and the comprehensive network by 2050.

5. TEN-T will connect 424 major cities to ports, airports and railway terminals. Once the network has been completed, it will shorten the travel times between these cities.

Next steps

The Regulation proposal is to be adopted at the meeting of the Council of Ministers and will also require formal approval by the European Parliament.
The Regulation will take effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Inquiries:

Kaisa Kuukasjärvi, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel.
+358 295 342 030, [email protected]