The challenge was launched during the conference “Rail Transport in the Atlantic Corridor”, which brought together representatives of public bodies, leaders of business associations and economic agents from both countries, the European coordinator of the Atlantic Corridor, Carlo Secchi, and the Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Pinto Dias.

The meeting culminated in the signing of the Joint Regional Declaration for the Development of European Atlantic Corridor Rail Transport in the Iberian Section, which “urges” the governments of Portugal and Spain to “accelerate the implementation” of this link.

The document includes concrete measures, in particular, the completion of the modernisation of the Beira Alta line, “with an effective connection to Madrid”, and the construction of the Aveiro-Viseu-Guarda-Salamanca high-speed line.

The creation and upgrading of logistics platforms and freight terminals, as well as “the promotion of true intermodality between rail, road and sea ports”, are other demands.

For the signatories, “moving forward with this project means preparing for the future, ensuring economic growth, promoting the sustainable development of our territories (...), moving forward even through various obstacles until we have demonstrated that we can do what might at first seem impossible.”