Raillink Rostock - Berlin - Dresden in trans-European transport network

The European Commission today presented its proposals for the future development of the trans-European transport networks. It involves the determination of major European roads, railways and inland waterways and their financing with the support of European investment funds. The Commission proposes the building of a powerful European core network which connects effectively the main economic centers and ports in the European Union with each other.

"I particularly welcome that the Commission decided for the rail link Rostock - Berlin - Dresden as part of the large, powerful European core network. It followed our demands and has peaved the way for the further development of a major European transport corridor with the new German states since in its center, "emphasized Dr. Christoph Bergner, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Government Commissioner for the new federal states.

The German Federal Government strongly supported the inclusion of the trans-European rail connections Athens - Dresden (TEN 22) and Palermo - Berlin (TEN 1), and pronounced their extension to the Baltic ports, in particular Rostock. Thereby a powerful north-south rail link (also called North-South Corridor) leads through the new federal states.

"The expansion and upgrading of the East German transport network are important milestones, so that the new federal states as a modern hub in Central Europe, both East and West, particularly in the important north-south direction," said Bergner.

The upgrading of an efficient rail link from the Baltic Sea via the capital Berlin to south and south-eastern Europe is part of the coalition agreement. The eastern states are expecting an improvement of location qualities and new economic overall perspectives. The north-south corridor links with Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Ljubljana and Zagreb, capital of nine regions, with over 90 million people.