Last week Rail Baltica Business Network (RBBN) in Riga organized an open discussion with the main topic “Rail Baltica – the key to the Baltic economic development” featuring the keynote speaker European Coordinator for the North Sea–Baltic core network corridor Ms. Catherine Trautmann. The event gathered more than 20 representatives of large infrastructure, logistics and transport companies and institutions, interested in the development of the project.

The discussion was introduced by the RBBN Member of the Council Vladlens Kovaļevs who spoke about the Network’s role acting as the link between entrepreneurs willing to engage in the Rail Baltica project and its implementing bodies. V. Kovaļevs also acknowledged that the time for companies to operate on a single scale has passed, thus entrepreneurs need to look from broader perspective and to be open for cooperation.

Ms. Catherine Trautmann told that by providing additional rail connections, Rail Baltica project would not only engage the Baltics in new logistic chains, but also provide important secondary benefits and improve the mobility of the region which is driving new capacities of innovation.

Kristjan Piirsalu the Head of Procurement in RB Rail introduced the latest project updates and highlighted the possible areas of business engagement.

Ervinas Škikūnas from Civitta Lithuania shared insights into the RBBN study on the business case of the Rail Baltica project.

The main aim of the event was to highlight the importance of the Rail Baltica project in the development of the Baltic region and share the common vision of the project implementation introducing the possible areas for business engagement.