Cooperation with Russia
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is engaged in
cooperation with Russia at both the bilateral and EU level. The
Finnish and Russian Ministers of Transport and Communications meet
every year.
The Ministry is involved in the work of the Finnish-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, and its
working group on transport. The working group deals with such
issues as road and maritime transport between Finland and Russia,
cooperation in aviation, and increasing the efficiency of border
and customs procedures in rail transport. The work is carried out
in meetings of joint commissions and working groups.
Cooperation between Finland and Russia is based on treaties. The
main cooperation partners include the Russian Ministries of
Transport and Communications, the Russian Federation authorities
responsible for road, maritime and rail transport, and aviation,
Russia’s regional administration, and, in the rail sector, Russian
Railways (RZhD). Cooperation is also carried out with the Russian
representations in Finland, particularly the embassy and the trade
representation.
The Ministry’s aim is to further improve the transport connections
between Finland and Russia. Particular attention is being given to
the growing freight traffic volumes by road, which constitute a
majority of the cross-border goods traffic.
Rail and air services nevertheless play a significant role in
goods and passenger transport between Finland and Russia. In
eastern Finland, businesses and tourists are also served by the
Saimaa Canal.
Finland is committed to completing the Helsinki-Vaalimaa E18
motorway by 2015. The Government will also be active in the
efforts to solve the traffic problems at the Finnish-Russian
border.
Cooperation with neighbouring areas
Cooperation with Finland’s neighbouring areas focuses on the Russian regions of Murmansk and Karelia, the Leningrad oblast and the city of St. Petersburg. The projects are related to logistics, traffic safety and development of the information society.
EU and Russia
The EU and Russia both wish to ensure the smooth and efficient flow of traffic. The cooperation on logistics deals with freight transport, railway matters and border-crossing issues. The border-crossing station of Vaalimaa-Torfjanovka on the Finnish-Russian border is one of the pilot projects in the development of border-crossing stations between the EU and Russia.