New European partnership formed to follow up Shift2Rail
The European Commission is inviting private and public companies to form a European Partnership on Rail Research and Innovation, which is to succeed the current Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking. In an invitation of Expression of Interest,...Read more
Big merger on Polish rail freight market
Poland’s rail freight market is on the verge of a big merger. Two major operators Lotos Kolej and Orlen KolTrans will be amalgamated into one entity. The combined operator will be a strong player in...Read more
EU supports rail in the Netherlands with 62 million
The European Commission has made available 62 million euro in subsidies for infrastructure projects in the Netherlands. Brussels is contributing 8.7 million euros to the work on the Theemsweg route in the Rotterdam port area...Read more
EU proposes waiving of track access charges as support measure
The European Commission has proposed a regulation that allows EU Member States to waive or reduce track access charges as well as reservation charges. This is to support railway undertakings, which are facing challenging times...Read more
European Green Deal impossible without longer trains
In order to implement the European Green Deal, the rail sector should develop standardisation and interoperability. Among other things, this means the necessity of introducing the 740-metre or even longer freight trains on the railway...Read moreEuropean recovery plan welcome, but ‘not enough’
The long-term budget (MFF) and recovery plan for the transport sector presented by European Commission has been welcomed by the railway industry. But, it is not sufficient for an overall shift to green mobility, says...Read more
‘Place railways at the heart of the recovery of European mobility’
The Polish railway undertaking PKP SA has appealed the European Commission to support railway investments that will effectively help stimulate the EU economic recovery plan. CEO Krzysztof Mamiński called for special priority for railway support...Read more
EIM: no reduction but extended payment of track access charges
It is better to give rail operators more time to pay than to reduce track access charges. If they pay lower or no charges, the burden is simply passed on to from the operators to...Read moreEU Commission: there are possibilities to reduce the costs of rail
There are possibilities to support the railway sector with state aid. EU regulation allows this under the current exceptional circumstances. Railway lobby organisations have been shouting from the roof to get across this message, and...Read more
‘Europe may face investment crisis in railway projects’
The European rail industry warns for an investment crisis in railway projects, if the existing EU funding legislation is not modified to suit the current corona crisis. Various lobby organisations made such statement in an...Read more
Renewal of train driver license impossible during corona crisis
The renewal of licenses or certificates for professional carriers in the rail freight industry is at stake due to the public measures taken in most EU countries in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. Several countries...Read more
‘Europe: act upon those priority lanes for freight’
The European Commission is urging member states to implement green lanes for land (road and rail), sea and air transport in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Freights transport should get priority at all the...Read more
Move all shipments to rail, or rather not?
Shipments through Europe are best loaded onto trains, as these continue to run as usual during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. On the contrary, truckers are facing long border queues with the implementation of additional border...Read more2021: the European year of rail
On 4 March, the European Commission proposed a European Climate Law. This paves the way for a legally binding EU commitment to climate neutrality by 2050. The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies has...Read moreEU considers single window for rail freight
After implementing the Maritime Single Window, the European Commission is considering to extend it to the rail freight sector. This move could be set in a new transport strategy that is currently being developed by...Read more
Poland concerned about noise regulations for ‘loud’ wagons
Many rail freight operators from Central and Eastern Europe will not be able to provide the quick modernisation of their wagon fleet, something that is required when several EU member states implement noise regulations. Member...Read more