RIGA, July 3 (LETA) - The European Commission will allocate EUR 295.509 million for continuation of the Rail Baltica project in the Baltic countries, the Commission said on Thursday.

The European Commission's Representation in Latvia informed LETA that the Commission had selected 94 transport projects to receive nearly EUR 2.8 billion in European Union grants under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

The Commission will now formally adopt the selection decision, and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency will start preparing grant agreements for the chosen projects. These agreements are expected to be finalized by October 2025, according to the Commission's website.

Rail transport will receive the largest share of the funding - 77 percent of the total - with investments directed toward major infrastructure upgrades across the TEN-T core and extended networks, particularly in cohesion countries.

This includes the construction of Rail Baltica in the Baltic region and Poland, and improvements in Greece and Slovakia. High-speed rail lines will also be developed in the Czech Republic and Poland.

In addition, 46 projects in 11 member countries - including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Sweden - will implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on trains and tracks, improving rail safety and interoperability across borders.

As reported, the Rail Baltic joint venture RB Rail in January 2025 submitted a funding application for the latest Connecting Europe Facility call in this budget period, outlining plans for further infrastructure developments across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, with a total value exceeding EUR 325 million.