The European Commission’s proposal for the Greening Freight Package was announced on 11 July. The RailFreight Connects, organised in Bremen on 6 and 7 September, will be the first EU-level event where the Package will be discussed. As an appetiser, Railfreight.com held a webinar on 20 July to preview the event and briefly discuss the Greening Freight Package with Akos Ersek, Chief Policy Advisor at UIRR.

Missed the webinar? Not to worry, you can download it here.

When it comes to the Greening Freight Package, Ersek highlighted that it is the first EU initiative that is this comprehensive and dedicated to freight transport. However, it is not free from criticism. For example, the Weight and Dimension Directive and the Combined Transport Directive should be revised together, as Ersek pointed out. “If the rules related to various modes, that need to cooperate, are discussed separately, interoperability cannot be achieved”, he explained.

The Greening Freight Package also aims at creating a European infrastructure management system, the Single European Railway Area. This is not a new concept, but it seems that the Commission has now realised different shortcomings and that a new regulation is needed, as Ersek mentioned. UIRR is also in the process of analysing the legal proposal concerning the Greening Freight Package, providing amendments and revisions where deemed necessary.

RailFreight Connects

The synergies between ports, terminals, and rail infrastructure have recently been under the spotlight, especially in Europe, where ports are increasingly investing in improving rail connectivity. The RailFreight Connects, which will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bremen, Germany, on 6 and 7 September, will be the perfect opportunity for the industry to discuss how these synergies can be boosted.

Representatives from HHLA, the port of Genoa, Nevomo, Lohr, DB Netz, UIRR, and more are among the already confirmed speakers. In addition, the RailFreight Connects will run in parallel with Project Cargo Summit, providing guests from the entire supply chain a chance to meet and discuss burning topics and find solutions to the challenges. You can find out more about the RailFreight Connects here and retrieve your tickets here.