Spain, Portugal, France map HSR plans

At a meeting in Zaragoza, Spain, Wednesday, officials from Spain, France, and Portugal advanced a plan to coordinate high speed rail development among the three nations, using a template similar to that used by Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands overseeing Thalys HSR service.

The declaration of intent signed by the transport ministers of the three nations called for the creation of a joint cross-border passenger company, the French transport ministry said in a statement.

French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said that austerity measures adopted by the three countries in reaction to Europe’s current economic crisis would not affect the advancement of HSR ongoing within the three nations.