Minister Kupka attended a meeting of European transport experts in Lyon29/6/2022|Press releasesExpansion of TEN-T transport networks, e-mobility and high-speed rail lines all over Europe. All these topics were discussed by Transport Minister Martin Kupka at the Connecting Europe Days event in Lyon, France. On top of the joint programme, the minister also met with Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, with whom he discussed the ways how to better connect Ukraine and EU countries. "The European Union is facing new challenges in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the field of transport is also affected. It was how to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of European transport flows that I discussed today with experts from across Europe in Lyon, France. The upcoming Czech Presidency will play a very important role in this, because one of our main tasks will be to adjust the scope of the TEN-T fast connection system that is still in place. This was also the last major transport event before our Presidency which starts on Friday 1 July," says the Transport Minister Martin Kupka. With the Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov Minister Kupka discussed mainly the current situation caused by Russian aggression. Both ministers agreed that in order to support the Ukrainian economy, it is now essential to ensure the transport of goods, especially agricultural produce, between Ukraine and the countries of the European Union as quickly as possible. Therefore, so-called "Solidarity Lanes" should be created between Ukraine and the EU to facilitate the export of mainly agricultural products from Ukraine. Where possible, there must be a switch from sea and, where necessary, from rail transport to road transport. "Russia continues its blockade of ports in the Black Sea which are key for the export of agricultural products. The whole Europe must now step up and look for other ways to export grain and seeds from Ukraine by road and rail. The Czech Republic is actively working on this, with the freight carrier ČD Cargo dispatching 13 trains of agricultural goods from Ukraine to seaports in Germany every week," minister Kupka said after the meeting. At the end of the joint meeting minister Kupka also invited minister Kubrakov to the informal Council of Transport Ministers, which Prague will host in October as part of the Czech Presidency. It is also necessary to focus on better transport links between the EU-27 and Ukraine through TEN-T networks. The development of rail lines with standard gauge from the EU to Ukraine, Moldova and other EU neighbours is of key importance. To better connect Ukraine and Moldova, an agreement was signed at the Connecting Europe Days event to allow Moldovan and Ukrainian road freight transport operators access the EU market and vice versa. Minister Kupka also attended a meeting in Lyon on the interconnection between transport and energy. The development of electromobility and other alternative fuels, charging stations, hydrogen production, storage and transport, and cutting of energy consumption were discussed. Electrification of the rail network and increased cooperation between transport and energy were also among the topics. Martin Kupka also spoke with his colleagues about the priorities of the upcoming Czech EU Presidency in the field of transportation. Better connection and development the European transport network, promotion of high-speed rail lines and clean mobility are only some examples of these priorities. The Czech Republic will also focus on autonomous transport and support of space activities. The minister invited his counterparts to the events that will take place during the Czech Presidency. These will include for example the informal meeting of the Transport Council in Prague (20-21 October) 10.), Urban Mobility Days in Brno (20-22 September) and the European Space Week (2-6 October) focused on current and future trends in the European space programme.