Article 2 Actions and timetable

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland shall ensure the timely implementation of the following actions:

1. (a)

   by 31 December 2018:

   1. (1)

      consolidated preliminary technical design shall be completed in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;

   2. (2)

      strategic environmental assessments shall be completed in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (except from Kaunas to Vilnius and from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border);

   3. (3)

      the study on infrastructure management in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania shall be completed and submitted to the national authorities of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;

2. (b)

   by 30 June 2019: a decision on the management of the built infrastructure shall be concluded by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;

3. (c)

   by 31 December 2020:

   1. (1)

      strategic environmental assessments shall be completed in Lithuania from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border;

   2. (2)

      the spatial (territorial) planning shall be completed and the detailed route alignment approved in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (except from Kaunas to Vilnius);

   3. (3)

      construction shall have been started in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania;

   4. (4)

      the technical design of the railway shall be completed in Estonia, Latvia (central section around Riga) and Lithuania (except from Kaunas to Vilnius and from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border);

   5. (5)

      detailed studies and environmental procedures defining the technical parameters and timeframe for the implementation of the section Ełk-Poland/Lithuania state border shall be completed in Poland;

4. (d)

   by 31 December 2021:

   1. (1)

      the land acquisition shall be completed in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (except from Kaunas to Vilnius and from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border);

   2. (2)

      the spatial (territorial) planning and strategic environmental assessments shall be completed and the detailed route alignment approved in Lithuania from Kaunas to Vilnius;

   3. (3)

      the technical design shall be completed in Latvia (northern and southern sections);

5. (e)

   by 31 December 2023:

   1. (1)

      the land acquisition shall be completed in Lithuania from Kaunas to Vilnius and from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border;

   2. (2)

      the technical design of the railway shall be completed in Lithuania from Kaunas to Lithuania/Poland state border and from Kaunas to Vilnius;

6. (f)

   by 31 December 2025:

   1. (1)

      the railway infrastructure shall be completed as a double-track railway line for mixed traffic, suitable for minimum 740-m long freight trains, electrified, in UIC gauge, in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland;

   2. (2)

      the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) shall be deployed to achieve the full interoperability, in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6^f1, in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland;

   3. (3)

      capacity shall be ensured for the trans-shipment in existing and new rail-road terminals, which shall be connected by a fast conventional double track electrified railway line and European standard gauge (1 435 mm).