BackA better connected Northern Europe is a strategic necessity for EU resilience, security and competitiveness
Regional representatives from the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission and North Sea Commission adopted a Joint Political Declaration on Transport. As the European Union is shaping the future EU Transport policy, they are calling for the EU to support fossil-free, smart and resilient transport system and accessibility for all and in every territory of the Baltic Sea Region and North Sea Region.
In Örebro (Sweden), regional representatives from the CPMR Baltic Sea Commission and CPMR North Sea Commission* came together to exchange views on transport connections and infrastructures needs in their respective regions and also across Northern Europe.
They adopted a Joint Political Declaration on Transport in which they set out clear expectations towards the European Parliament and Member States that will shape the regarding future Connecting Europe Facility (CEF III), which is the EU’s key funding instrument for building a resilient and efficient transport network. The EU co-legislators will negotiate in 2026-2027 the CEF III proposal of regulation, that the European Commission proposed in July 2025. It is of key importance for the future of transport in the Baltic Sea Region and North Sea Region.
The changed geopolitical context has highly affected the transport sector in the Northern Europe and raised the importance of supporting dual use civil and military mobility, urban nodes, ports, multimodal hubs and secondary networks.
It cames out that in a rapidly changing geopolitical context, strengthening North-South and East-West transport axes is essential to ensure that people and critical goods can move efficiently and securely between the North Sea Region, the Baltic Sea Region and the rest of Europe.
BSC and NSC Members expect also the CEF III to fund missing links — whether cross-border or national — within Projects of Common Interest. BSC and NSC Members also call for the EU to support the following strategic corridors and transport routes: The Bothnian Corridor / The Oslo-Stockholm-Turku-Helsinki Corridor / The Jutland Corridor / The STRING Corridor / The European Corridor / The Kvarken Link/Nordic Connector / The Tampere-Helsinki-Tallinn-Rail Baltica Corridor / The LelyLijn Corridor.
This work is supporting the EUSBSR priority “Connecting the Baltic Sea Region” and the objectives of Policy Area Transport.
*The CPMR North Sea Commission and Baltic Sea Commission represent 48 regional authorities in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Finland
Related content
New funding opportunities at Swedish Institute
26 February 2026
Save the Date: BSSSC Day of Cities and Regions 2026 in Tallinn
28 January 2026
