Fret SNCF forced to give up several routes to endorse fair competition
Fret SNCF, the rail freight subsidiary of state-owned French railway company SNCF, sustained another blow that makes its economic and operational future challenging, to say the least. The company will have to give up operations...Read more
Greek rail damage costs rise to 160 million euros, repairs to last a year
The initial assessment concerning the damages on the Greek railway network after the floods belongs to the past. A new assessment draws an even gloomier picture: repair costs skyrocket from an estimated 50 million euros...Read more
Capacity management: The pros and cons of the Commission’s proposals
File: Greening Freight Package The EU Commission’s proposal for the Regulation on the use of Railway Infrastructure Capacity, as part of the Greening Freight Package, is probably one of the most positive developments the rail sector could expect from...Read more
Ukrainian grain exports drop while Commissioner backs import ban
Grain exports via rail have slowed down significantly in Ukraine during August. Ukrainian Railways reported that exported grain volumes dropped by 45.3 per cent in the last summer month compared to the previous year. At...Read moreEU allocates funds meant for Russia-Belarus to Ukraine and Moldova
A considerable amount of EU funds previously destined for Russia and Belarus will now be allocated to Ukraine and Moldova, decided the EU Commission. Specifically, 135 million euros from the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation...Read more
Ukrainian Railways launch new westbound services, while EU scrambles to fund grain exports
The EU is under pressure since funds to support Ukrainian grain exports via rail seem scarce. Attacks on Ukrainian Danube ports make the situation very complex and put more pressure on the rail to undertake...Read more
EU to fund rail siding construction for ‘any willing company’ in Czechia
The Commission approved a railway siding building, upgrade and reconstruction funding scheme for Czechia. The scheme is worth 74 million euros and will run until 2027. The EU institution said the funding will be available...Read more
EU Sanctions impact China-Russia volume, but indirectly
Rail freight traffic between China and Russia will be impacted by the new list of EU sanctions, be it indirectly. This is what industry professionals told RailFreight.com. New sanctions were announced by the EU Commission...Read more
11th EU sanction package targets circumvention attempts
The EU Commission adopted the 11th sanction package against Russia. In the latest package, the institution highlights the need to tackle sanctions circumvention attempts that involve third countries. The Commission will thus restrict the sale,...Read more
Ukraine can now fund transport projects via CEF
An agreement between the EU Commission and Ukraine allows the second to benefit from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funds. The deal is an important milestone towards post-war Ukrainian restoration, especially concerning transport infrastructure and...Read more
Western Balkans gradually getting closer to TEN-T integration
The Balkan states of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have taken a decisive step towards connecting their transport networks with the TEN-T network. By signing high-level agreements with the European Commission in...Read more
Analysis: will DB Cargo end up like SNCF Fret?
This week, an important European rail freight company was saved from possible sanctions by the European Commission through an uncompromising reorganisation plan. SNCF Fret, the French subsidiary of SNCF was under fire because it had...Read more
Commission: temporary restrictions on Ukrainian products due to logistical bottlenecks
The EU Commission decided to temporarily restrict the import of four Ukrainian agricultural products in Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. The restrictions concern wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed, and they aim to “alleviate...Read more
Full migration to standard gauge out of the picture for Finland
The costs of migrating the whole Finnish TEN-T network from 1,524 mm gauge to the European standard are far greater than the possible benefits deeming such an option unfeasible. A viable alternative would be the...Read more
TEN-T revision: critical steps, but also dangers ahead
The Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament has unanimously adopted its position regarding the revision of the TEN-T regulations. In the proposal that still needs to be approved by the EU parliament plenary,...Read more
Macron and Von der Leyen in China: EU de-risking, Ukraine and trade
ANALYSISThe much-discussed visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission head Ursula Von der Leyen in China is unfolding. By meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two European leaders aim to push for...Read moreCommission unwilling to adopt all suggestions of ECA intermodal report
The EU Commission responded swiftly to the European Court of Auditors’ report on intermodal transport and the share of rail freight. The report, which provided worrisome findings, might illustrate the situation as overly dramatic according...Read more
A common language for European train drivers: additional hurdle or solution?
ANALYSISThe European rail sector remains divided: should there be a common language for cross-border train operations for staff such as train drivers, personnel and traffic controllers? The remarkable thing is that the freight association ERFA,...Read more
Official: Germany pumps 1,1 billion to cover rail electricity bills
With the EU’s approval, Germany will pour 1,1 billion euros into its rail sector to alleviate it from the skyrocketing electricity traction prices. The German government decided to act against the increased energy costs in...Read more