Murder on the Brussels express 🔪🚅

The European railways mirror exactly the situation in the EU: a lot of potential if united but too fragmented for the moment 🚂

Although population density and geography would make it much cheaper to transport both people and freight, it is currently almost impossible to take a high speed train across European borders.

It seems that EU has practically murdered its economic potential by not integrating one of its most critical infrastructures 🔪

The blue lines show the current high speed railways which remain largely within national borders. Few new lines are expected till 2030 (purple). Orange lines indicate a vision that could further integrate its single market.

Meanwhile, China has moved to the opposite direction: in almost a decade created a spectacular railway network which boosted its economy and strengthened its nation building process.

In this context, 21st Europe (a new think tank from Copenhagen) drafted a bold blueprint for EU’s railways: Starline 🚀

According to this futuristic vision, the unification of EU railways would:

• complete EU’s geopolitical and economic unification 🇪🇺

• facilitate the flourishing of European culture 🖼️

• advance sustainability 🌳

• revitalise EU’s economic engine 🏭

When, for example, China expanded its high-speed rail network, cities with HSR connections experienced a 14.2% increase in GDP, and each new HSR line contributed an additional 7.2% to urban GDP growth. 🇨🇳

This is why now it should be EU’s turn.

The union needs bold proposals like this, and a continent-wide conversation that can provide a strong political mandate.

The Europragmatist just makes the research and spreads the news.

From here it is up to you.