Europe demands that Estonia keep its promise of building safer roads

The 4.3-kilometer Kärevere-Kardla section, opened at the end of November, will be the last 2+2 highway development on the Tallinn-Tartu highway in the coming years. Photo: transpordiamet

• Estonia clearly cannot meet its obligations.
• We have to ask the EU for extension.
• All politicians are willing but we would have to borrow the money.

Although Estonia promised the European Commission nine years ago that it would build the European main network roads passing through the country to meet the requirements by 2030, it is incapable of keeping the promise and seeks for a solution by applying for an exception.

Just as Rail Baltic must be ready by 2030, Estonia must also build proper road connections with Europe by that time. The deadline is the same because both destinations are regulated by the same TEN-T regulation of the European Union, which aims to create a high-quality and reliable transport network between the member states. Since it is a legally directly applicable regulation, it is not possible to withdraw from the obligation or delay its realization.

Thus, following the current regulation, Estonia should build both the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla and the Tallinn-Tartu-Võru-Luhamaa roads within eight years. The EU requirements do not automatically mean that said highways must be built as 2+2 or 2+1 lanes, but the regulation requires different level exits for left turns, wildlife crossing bridges and, most importantly, the separation of opposite lanes. In other words, the roads must be built at least at the 2+1 level to ensure traffic safety.

Considering the pace of road construction in Estonia and the current insufficient funding of the sphere, it is now essentially clear that the remaining time is not enough to meet the commitments made in 2013. The National Audit Office also reached this conclusion in the inspection report published in September. Therefore, Estonia intends to ask the European Commission for an exception. When the Ministry of Economy and Communications (MKM) discussed the matter with the Commission last summer, exceptions were requested for the Ülenurme–Luhamaa and Uulu–Ikla sections. However, after the start of the war in Ukraine, the transport regulation in Europe was revised again, and the Commission itself proposed the exclusion of the Tartu-Luhamaa direction leading to Russia from the TEN-T main network. “Currently, we plan to ask for an exception only for the Uulu-Ikla section, as the traffic there does not justify such large investments in our opinion. Also, there is the Natura 2000 area, which makes the construction more difficult,” Julia Bergštein, head of the road department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, explained the latest plans.

According to her, the prospects for obtaining an exception are good, as according to the regulation it is possible to request it for sections with a traffic density of less than 10,000 vehicles per day. On the Ikla-Uulu section there are about half as many vehicles. “We held discussions on this issue with the Commission before the war in Ukraine, before reopening the regulation, and at that time it was in principle agreed upon. The question was only about the new deadline. In our vision, this section could be completed together with the general network, i.e. in 2050 at the latest," Bergštein recalled.

Lack of money also threatens the main roads

While the European Union is concerned about the section between Pärnu and the border of Latvia, the priority for MKM are the Tallinn-Tartu and Tallinn-Pärnu roads. However, the timely completion of these sections is also doubtful. Since road maintenance funds have been reduced during discussions of the national budget strategy (RES), the latest road maintenance plan of the Transport Administration stipulates that no new sections of the Tallinn-Pärnu or Tallinn-Tartu highways will be started in 2025 or 2026. According to the Administration, however, in order to fulfill the TEN-T regulation on time, construction of the Imavere–Mäo and Kärevere–Tartu road sections should start in 2025 at the latest. A year later, in order to stay on schedule, the section between Konuvere and Pärnu-Jaagupi on the Tallinn-Pärnu highway would also need to be put into operation.

“Considering the funding, we have to constantly assess whether we still need to ask the European Commission for exceptions. Since traffic density on the Tallinn-Tartu and Tallinn-Pärnu highways is less than 10,000 vehicles on most sections, this would be theoretically possible. At the same time, this is not a very reasonable plan considering the throughput capacity and above all safety. However, our expectation is that the road maintenance money will not remain at the level indicated in the RES, and we will not need additional exemptions by 2030,” said Bergštein and added that the Commission need not look favorably on asking for exemptions piecemeal.

However, if the Estonian state is unable to build the roads on time and the European Commission does not grant exemption requests, infringement proceedings may be initiated against Estonia. "If the road is not built in time, it will certainly bring along sanctions. We cannot say what exactly, because no one has been sanctioned on the basis of this regulation before. At the moment, however, we are convinced that it will not go that far, because, after all, we are building the roads for ourselves and to improve road safety, not for the European Union,” Bergštein said.

In the coming years, the construction of sections of the Tallinn-Tartu and Tallinn-Pärnu highways is planned to be financed largely for the EU funds. 158 million has been allocated from the European Cohesion Fund to the roads of the TEN-T main network, from which the Pärnu–Uulu, Pärnu–Sauga, Libatse–Nurme and the Neanurme–Pikknurme section between Puhu–Risti and Tartu will be completed. According to the Transport Admistration's assessment, it is necessary to find at least 550 million euros more to complete the construction of the connections towards Pärnu and Tartu.

Everyone is willing, but the money has to be borrowed

According to Riina Sikkut, the Minister of Economy and Infrastructure (SDE), however, the need for money for road maintenance is not limited to investments in roads between the big cities. According to Sikkut, roads would need about one billion euros more in the next four years, which could be met from tax changes or loans. But according to the minister, this decision can only be made by the government which receives its mandate next spring.

According to Taavi Aas, the former Minister of Economy and Infrastructure, the Center Party is ready to make a loan for road construction. “The construction of the TEN-T main network must be completed by 2030, no doubt about it. Estonia has made a commitment to the European Union, and the state's credibility is at stake. The current delay is unacceptable and shows the inefficiency of the government. If necessary, we have to make loan for road construction – it provides work for our companies in the current uncertain time and ensures safe and convenient connections within the country, which is also important in view of regional policy,” said Aas.

Aivar Kokk, the Chairman of the Finance Committee (Isamaa), does not rule out borrowed money either. “Loans should be used for new investments if they are necessary. At least half a billion euros should be invested into road construction every year. If Isamaa is in the next government, we will definitely start the construction of the existing projects. We believe that road maintenance funding should be significantly increased in the coming years.” Tartu, Pärnu and Narva cannot be brought closer to Tallinn in terms of space, but it is possible in terms of time, Kokk added.

According to the non-parliamentary Estonia 200, the financing of road maintenance needs a completely different model than the current one. "Estonia 200 supports the principle of “the consumer pays”, i.e. the use of the road must be linked to taxation. The exact agreement is a matter of a social dialogue, but a solution must be found, because the increasing number of electric cars and the reduction of fossil fuel consumption will force it to be done sooner or later,” said Pirko Konsa, head of the Estonia 200 mobility working group.

The Reform Party and EKRE had not answered the questions by the time the newspaper went to print.

Estonia’s major road construction projects for the coming years (2023–2026)

Tallinn-Tartu Road

2023 Neanurme–Pikknurme (2+1-road) 6.4 km

Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla Road

2022–2024 Pärnu–Uulu (2+2-road) 9.4 km

2023 Sauga–Pärnu (2+2-road) 2.6 km

2024–2026 Libatse–Nurme (2+2-road) 21.6 km

Others

2024–2025 Tallinn–Paldiski (Tähetorni–Harku) 3 km

2024–2025 Kanama viaduct