(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 18 GEN - Official data indicate a strong increase in the rail freight transport in several countries in Central- and Eastern Europe, in particular in Poland and Hungary. According to Eurostat data, between 2016 and 2017 Poland registered the highest increase at EU level, with +6.2 billion tonne-kilometres, followed by Hungary (+2.8 billion tonne-kilometres), Lithuania (+1.6 billion tonne-kilometres) and Romania (+1.5 billion tonne-kilometres). Germany recorded the largest decrease over the same period (-3.9 billion tonne-kilometres), followed by Latvia (- 0.9 billion tonne-kilometres). At the European Union level, the rail freight transport increased in 2017 by 13 billion tonne-kilometres, in a comparison with 2016, reaching 416 billion tonne-kilometres, +3.2% year on year. The trend is positive since 2013, the EU statistical office said. (ANSA).