Minister Ťok with his Austrian counterpart Leichtfried signed an agreement on the connection between17/1/2017|Press releasesDan Ťok, the transportation minister, met his Austrian counterpart, the minister of transportation, innovations and technologies Jörg Leichtfried. Construction of the cross-border road and railway connection between the two countries was one of the main agenda points. Both ministers confirmed readiness to connect the D3 motorway with the S10 speedway. "Four sections are under construction simultaneously and other sections of this major road structure are under preparation in the South-Bohemian region. The South-Bohemian section shall be completed in 2021 and the connection between D3 and the S10 speedway is of key important for us. Today, we confirmed this by signing the bilateral international contract", said Dan Ťok, the transportation minister. The D3 motorway has currently most construction sites and sections in progress of all Czech motorways and construction of its Central-Bohemian section shall start in 2024. The completion of the fast road connection Brno – Mikulov – Vienna is another priority. The bypass study for the section Pohořelice – state border has already been completed on the Czech side, with the Mikulov bypass being a separate project – preparations were however running even at a time with no Regional Zone Plan. Construction shall take place between 2018 and 2021. The railway connection Prague – Vienna is an important route for the Czech Republic, belonging to the East and East-Mediterranean corridor in Europe. On the Czech territory, the entire route was modernised for speeds up to 160 km/h and the aim is to increase the speed between Brno and Břeclav to 200 km/h. This is why the Czech side supported the intention of the Austrian side to modernise the section Vienna – Czech state border for a speed of 200 km/h. Both parties gave extremely positive feedback to the cooperation between national rail transportation providers, particularly regarding the introduction of Railjet trains on line Prague – Vienna – Graz, which increased passenger comfort and made this connection much more attractive. Vast modernisation on the route between Prague and Linz is under way in the Czech Republic, creating the right conditions for a fast railway connection via the border crossing Horní Dvořiště – Summerau. Since December 2016, express trains can go up to 160 km/h on a section of the modernised railway corridor between Prague and Budweis, which dramatically cut driving times. Passengers can now reach Budweis in only two hours from Prague and it only takes four hours to Linz. The aim is to introduce the fast segment along the entire route Prague – Linz, with the possibility of changing for Railjet trains to Salzburg – Zürich. Both parties also exchanged information on the social aspects of road transportation and spoke about the introduction of motorway toll for cars in Germany. "I understand that the German government wants to introduce toll for passenger cars on the roads. However, I have to agree with minister Leichtfried who says that the system must not be discriminatory. From today's perspective, it seems that the toll shall only apply to drivers from other countries, which we consider as discriminatory. The thing is that we have not seen the final shape of the act which the Germans shall submit and have approved by the European Commission. Therefore, we reserve the right to see the final wording of the act and only then can we support or reject it. Should it be discriminatory, then we will not agree with it," added minister Ťok. A G R E E M E N T between the Governments of the Czech Republic and the Federal Government of Austria on the connection between the Czech D3 motorway with the Austrian S10 speedway on the Czech-Austrian border The government of the Czech Republic and the Federal government of Austria (hereafter only "Contracting Parties"), agreed - with regards to their efforts for a quality increase in the road connection, - with regards to their efforts for environmental protection, more efficient energy use, road safety and improvement in drivers' working conditions and - with regards to acceptance of mutual benefits and interests of the connection between the D3 motorway with the S10 speedway on the joint border as follows: Clause 1 The subject matter of this Agreement is the connection between the D3 motorway on Czech territory and the S10 speedway on the Austrian territory on the Czech-Austrian border between municipalities Dolní Dvořiště and Wullowitz. Clause 2 1. The connection between capacity roads will be located on the joint state border on the territory of the Dolní Dvořiště municipality on the Czech side and the Wullowitz municipality on the Austrian side between border signs II/28-010 of the old numbering system (III/28-16 of the new numbering system) and III/30-1 of the old numbering system (III/30-4 of the new numbering system). 2. The route details and parameters of connected roads in the place of connection on the Czech-Austrian state border are subject to a mutually coordinated design. 3. Ředitelství silnic a dálnic ČR will execute the provisions of clause 2 on the Czech territory and the Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie will execute the provisions of clause 2 on the Austrian territory. Clause 3 The position of the Czech-Austrian border line will not change as a result of this agreement. Clause 4 Any possible disputes arising from the interpretation or execution of this Agreement shall be settled between the Contracting Parties through diplomatic negotiations. Clause 5 1. This Agreement is made for an unlimited period of time. Any changes and amendments must be made in writing and based on mutual consent. 2. This Agreement is subject to approval in accordance with national legal regulations of each Contracting Party. The completion of the approval process will be communicated to the other Contracting Party through an exchange of notes. 3. The Agreement enters into force on the 13day since delivery of the later note.