Finnish transport and communications minister Timo Harakka (Left), said that a proposal by the European Commission that Finland should build narrower train tracks in line with European standards was "unreasonable" and would be too costly an undertaking.

Last December, the European Commission proposed new regulations on union-wide guidelines to develop the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), which will affect railways, roadways, waterways, shipping routes, airports and other transport channels around the bloc.

According to the proposal, new tracks should be built to the European standard rail width without exception. It also calls for future plans to retrofit existing rail networks to the European standard rail width, except in areas where it would not justified due to reasons of benefit or cost, the ministry noted in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The Commission proposed that Finland should change essential train links to the European standard width of 1,435mm.

Due to historic reasons, namely trade with its eastern neighbour, Finland's track gauge is the same as Russia's - 1,524mm - which is 89mm wider than the European standard.

In the ministry statement, Harakka said the proposal was economically unreasonable and that he thinks Finland should be granted an exception from the width requirements, adding that he thinks the Commission will listen to Finland's views on the matter.

"Changing the track width would not be financially viable, but also would not be functionally viable," he said in the statement, adding that decisions should not be made hastily.

The ministry said that it tried to influence the Commission as it prepared the TEN-T regulations in an effort to exempt Finland from the track width requirement.

Finland will continue its advocacy work as the Commission continues to process the proposal in the autumn, according to the ministry.