France continues its course toward completing the Atlantic freight rail corridor, resisting pressure from Spain, Portugal, and regional voices in Galicia and the Basque Country. The plan calls for a 2042 completion, with leaders in Madrid and Lisbon urging a 2030 target and emphasizing the need to keep the north and west competitive through a Mediterranean-linked timetable that Iberia has urged should be ready within seven years.
The Atlantic Corridor is described as a rail-based highway designed to speed up freight movement and ease road congestion by trucks. It holds strategic importance for the Northwest, promising faster access to France and onward into the broader European market.
The regions of Galicia, Asturias, and Castilla y León agreed to press the Spanish government for accelerated work and to secure preferential funding from the European Union. After achieving that objective, they shifted focus toward France, which has refused to openly commit to a 2030 completion date for the line and has since set a later horizon, while also downplaying the weight of external pressures.
The European Union expressed concern over delays in the Atlantic Corridor, a key component of the Trans-European Transport Network, which the EU expected to be completed by 2030. The European Commission noted the delay and indicated that simply rehabilitating the existing route proposed by Paris would not meet future service demand. Brussels suggested cross-border infrastructure should take priority in planning, pointing to the need for more ambitious investment.
Spain and Portugal have argued that delaying the corridor would hurt their economies, and at the recent summit they decided to send a joint letter to Brussels to increase pressure on France.
Jean-Michel Casa, the French ambassador to Spain, stated in an interview that France would not alter the 2042 horizon for linking to the Atlantic Corridor, referencing a document published by the EU Council on Infrastructure Orientation. He highlighted the Mediterranean Corridor, arguing that Paris places priority there, which has fueled tensions across the Pyrenees.
Casa challenged Brussels to keep the pressure on, noting that European funds are crucial and that any agreement depends on more than national intentions. He also suggested that despite Franco-Spanish talks, no binding agreement on the Atlantic Corridor had been reached, a point reiterated after the January summit focusing on cross-border issues. The 2030 horizon, he asserted, was never a firm objective for the Atlantic route on France’s side; discussions at the Barcelona meeting had only mentioned 2030 in relation to the Mediterranean route.
For Galicia, the Atlantic Corridor represents a vital economic lifeline. The Xunta president sought to convey this urgency in meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the end of March, though he faced political challenges at home, including a recent internal disruption within the regional leadership. The Galicia delegation also engaged with the French ambassador to express concerns about delays and to explore potential steps forward.
Officials from Galicia, Asturias, Castilla y León, and the Basque Country have argued that a stronger emphasis on the Atlantic axis would prevent the region from falling behind the Mediterranean corridor, which has a faster timetable for integration into European markets. The Mediterranean route is projected to reach completion sooner, creating a political incentive for the central authorities to balance competing priorities across the Iberian peninsula.
The Lehendakari announced plans to discuss the Atlantic Corridor with Íñigo Urkullu, the French ambassador, and the European Commissioner for Transport, seeking renewed backing for the Atlantic axis and greater attention to cross-border challenges. These discussions reflect a broader debate about how best to align regional economic needs with a coherent European transport strategy.