Minister Ranne to attend informal meeting of EU transport ministers in Barcelona

Ministry of Transport and Communications

21.9.2023 11.53 | Published in English on 21.9.2023 at 14.01

Press release

Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne (Photo: LVM)

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU will hold an informal meeting of transport ministers in Barcelona on 21–22 September 2023. Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne will represent Finland at the meeting. It will be an informal meeting where no decisions are taken.

The ministers will discuss the role of transport and mobility in helping to achieve greater social and territorial cohesion.

They will exchange views on, for example, how to achieve a well-designed transport system that is accessible to all and responds to the needs of citizens. Their discussions will also focus on the challenges of sparsely populated areas.

“We must make sure that everyone has the opportunity to move freely, irrespective of their place of residence or possible special needs. We can also improve the availability of services and promote mobility in sparsely populated areas through digitalisation and various travel chains. However, conditions and the needs for mobility vary by region, and this should be taken into account. The cost of mobility must not exclude people or impair the operating conditions for businesses,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

Finland considers it important that the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) be developed to improve territorial cohesion. Transport networks in Europe should be developed in such a way that they support the transition to sustainable transport, multimodality and the digitalisation of transport. A well-functioning trans-European transport network as well as smooth transport and travel promote the competitiveness of Finland and the EU as a whole.

Finland considers it important that particular national characteristics and the strategic role of Finnish ports be taken into account in the development of the TENT-T network.