Title: Integrating the Baltic States and Europe - Rail Baltica

Authors: Milla Laisi; Juha Saranen

Addresses: Faculty of Technology Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Kouvola Unit, Prikaatintie 9, FIN-45100 Kouvola, Finland ' Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Ståhlberginkatu 4, FIN-15110 Lahti, Finland

Abstract: Railway transport has gained foothold as safe and environmentally friendly transport mode, and its progression has been a success story in Central Europe. However, European peripheral areas such as the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) are lagging behind, as railway infrastructure does not fulfil the requirements of competent network. Rail Baltica has been offered as prospective option, and it has been widely studied during the last decade. This paper fulfils the existing research gap by unfolding the Baltic States public actors' viewpoints. Based on the results, in all three Baltic States the public sector is strongly supporting Rail Baltica, because it could provide economic growth by introducing improved connection to Europe as well as to Russia. However, countries should pay special attention to national as well as international cooperation, as lack of collaboration is impeding the process.

Keywords: Estonia; Europe; Latvia; Lithuania; public actors; Rail Baltica; railway infrastructure; Baltic States; railways; rail transport; public sector; economic growth; cooperation; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.053609

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2013 Vol.6 No.3, pp.251 - 269

Published online: 30 Oct 2013 *

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