On 14 February 2023, a trans-European TEN-T conference was held in Warsaw, Poland, to discuss extensively the requirements for the development of logistics chains and the impact of the European security situation on the core network corridors. The essential function of the trans-European core network is to link European transport flows in both the north and south directions, as well as in the east and west directions. The Swedish Minister of Transport Andreas Carlson emphasised that Finland's and Sweden's membership of NATO places new demands on the northern areas of the core network and the importance of public-private cooperation in the development of the network. In his speech, Marius Skuodis, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications, stressed the importance of alternative routes and the importance of the military mobility perspective. The conference focused extensively on the integration of Ukraine and Moldova into the European transport network. The European Commission's proposal links Ukraine to the core network corridors to secure grain transport. The Commission's proposal is seen as a gesture of Ukraine's integration and post-war reconstruction. Jouni Jussinniemi, 1st Vice-President of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, who participated in the conference, said that companies in Northern Ostrobothnia have extensive potential and know-how in the reconstruction of Ukraine.  In Finland and Northern Ostrobothnia, it is necessary to consider in advance how the region will help companies to connect to reconstruction and how to enable participation when it is time to rebuild Ukraine. Mustafa Nayyem, the head of the Ukrainian Agency for Reconstruction and Infrastructure Development, who participated remotely in the event, said that Ukraine is currently focusing on short-term repair measures and expects the extensive infrastructure damage caused by Russia to continue. The role of ports was highlighted in the development of efficient transport chains. Anne Jensenin, coordinator of the Baltic-Adriatic Core Network Corridor, highlighted the connection of European ports to the core network and the investments required from ports in alternative fuels to reduce emissions from maritime transport. In Finland, production and distribution must be developed in order to bring the supply of alternative fuels to ports, and in the future demand for them will increase," Jussinniemi emphasises. The panel discussion on rail transport highlighted the interconnectivity of different modes of transport. In the current funding period of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), around 70% of the total budget will be dedicated to the development of the rail network. More effective development involves a wide range of aspects, both climatic and, in the new context, military mobility. In this context, the electrification of the rail network is to be promoted across Europe. Further information:  Jouni Jussinniemi, 1st Vice Chairman of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. +358 44 588 5577, jouni.jussinniemi@pyhajarvi.fi Lauri Romppainen, Regional Engineer, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. +358 40 685 4021, lauri.romppainen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has long-term advocated for making the Port of Oulu and the airport part of the TEN-T core network. In early 2022, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the City of Oulu took a joint position to make the port part of the core network, highlighting in particular the strategically important location of the port in terms of the northern transport connections between Finland and the EU. In addition, the Federation has highlighted the importance of the Port of Oulu in CPMR's Baltic Sea Commission's statements. On Monday 5 December 2022, the EU Transport Council adopted a general approach on the TEN-T proposal. The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is an EU-wide transport network that identifies the most important routes, ports, airports and rail terminals and aims for their sustainable and high-quality development by 2050. In a proposal for a regulation adopted by the Transport Council on Monday, the Port of Oulu is proposed to be upgraded to the TEN-T core network. Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka, who represented Finland at the meeting, emphasised Finland's dependence on shipping and was pleased with the result of Finland's active influence. Following the position of the Transport Council, the position of the European Parliament is expected, possibly in February 2023. The Parliament's position will be followed by negotiations in which Member States, the Parliament and the Commission will seek a common view on the TEN-T proposal. Additional information: Regional Engineer Lauri Romppainen, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. +358 40 685 4021, lauri.romppainen@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

Discussions in the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) have for a long time highlighted the situation regarding the availability of alternative fuels in the peripheral regions of the EU. For example, the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure sets challenging requirements for both the TEN-T core network and the comprehensive network, subject to the requirement of a recharging station with an interval of no more than 60 km. This will most likely require significant investment in infrastructure. The proposal for a regulation also requires the construction of hydrogen stations in major urban areas. Jouni Jussinniemi, 1st Vice-President of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, attended the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission Working Group on Transport in Stockholm in November 2022. Jussinniemi emphasised in the discussions that electric cars are not the only solution for future traffic. “We need a solution where electricity, hydrogen and renewable sustainable biofuels such as biogas and bioethanol gasoline replace fossil fuels. Jouni Jussinniemi has brought megawatt thinking to the discussion, which means understanding the amount of energy, for example, cars, vehicle combinations or tractors need at service stations. When 300 litres of diesel oil are placed in the fuel tank of a vehicle combination, about three megawatts of energy is transferred. The fuel tank of a passenger car is filled with 600-700 kilowatts of energy. Gas stations that refuel with large quantities of fuel every day need new substations, supply systems and cabling. We don't have this infrastructure at the moment, so it's a big investment. The need for raw materials in the electrification of motoring has also been discussed. An ordinary car has about 20 kilograms of copper, while the engines of today's electric cars have about 80 kilograms of copper. The electrification of the Finnish car fleet may require up to 200 million kilos of copper. This is practically virgin copper, because there is no circulation volume. In addition, creating a charging network requires copper and aluminum. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has highlighted the importance of biofuels and the potential of their production in the region in various contexts. The potential and suitability of electric vehicles for northern regions is also uncertain. The potential of biofuels is not only limited to vehicles, but also has the potential to drive the transformation of air transport. The combustion engine is not dead, only the use of fossil fuels comes to an end, Jussinniemi emphasises. In Finland, there are enough raw materials to produce biogas for transport needs. A good level of support must be ensured at national and EU level to create a network of production facilities and distribution stations. In addition to this, decisions at EU level are needed for sustainably produced …

On 15 September 2021, the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia issued its opinion on the investment programme for the state fairway network for 2022-2029. The development of the transport system in accordance with the investment programme does not guarantee the accessibility of Northern Ostrobothnia and Northern Finland, does not meet the needs of the business sector and does not support sustainable mobility and climate objectives. The investment programme is deficient, especially from the point of view of improving the conditions for business transport. The programme does not take into account the special circumstances of Northern Finland and the requirements of business and industry. The region's importance for the Finnish economy as a whole and for national and international accessibility is significant and must be reflected in the investments in the network of fairways targeted at the region. From the point of view of Northern Ostrobothnia, the most important measures to achieve the national transport system targets are completely lacking. In the investment programme, the development of rail traffic in particular is focused only on southern Finland, which makes it difficult for the business community in Northern Finland to develop and improve the rail traffic required for investments. The level of funding proposed in the economic framework of the Transport 12 plan is totally inadequate for the transport network of the future. The investment programme cannot achieve the objectives set for the plan. For example, according to the strategic situational picture, the road network has development needs of up to EUR 3 billion over the next ten years. The increase in the repair debt and the deterioration of the road network have a significant negative impact on the operating conditions of the industry in the region, as well as on the flow and safety of tourism. The overall level of funding is completely insufficient to implement measures that are significant for Northern Finland, such as investments in the development of the main routes and the reduction of the repair debt. The development of the main line is important in terms of economic growth and sustainable mobility. The Ylivieska-Oulu section of the main line is the second most significant and busiest freight section in the nation and serves more than one million passengers per year in terms of passenger traffic. From the point of view of social impact, for example, the volumes of freight transport on the main line south of Kokkola are very low and the planned investments will not support the competitiveness of the Finnish economy as well as investments on the northernmost sections of the main line. Developing the most important routes is important. In addition to this, it is extremely important to maintain a functioning lower-level road network for the operating conditions of Finnish business life and the smooth everyday life of companies and people. In particular, the traffic performance of the road network has deteriorated worryingly in recent years. Sufficient resources must be allocated to basic road maintenance. Link to the statement.