All news & events

On 7 October, the World Trade Organization (WTO) launched a new online tool for keeping track of changes in the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), the system used for the classification of traded goods. The HS Tracker, developed with the support of the World Customs Organization (WCO), is also aimed at helping customs officials and traders prepare for HS amendments that will enter into force on 1 January 2022.

n October, a new Automatic Train Operation (ATO) test project for cargo started on the Betuwe route, which connects the Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands) with the German Ruhr region. The aim of the German-Dutch cooperation project is to trial and test the control and remote monitoring of automated trains in rail freight traffic for the first time by the end of 2025.

On 7 October, the Connecting Europe Express reached its final destination of Paris after 36 days travelling across Europe - West to East, North to South, and even visiting neighbours outside the EU. This train was specially put together for the occasion of the European Year of Rail 2021, aiming to raise awareness of the benefits of rail and the challenges which still need to be overcome.

The European Commission published on 7 October a draft implementing Regulation updating the list of serious infringements which may lead to the loss of good repute by a road transport operator. The draft act results from the publication of the Mobility Package I Regulations which add new infringements that could lead to loss of good repute, introduce an additional criterion when defining the degree of seriousness of infringements and their frequency of occurrence.

The maritime supply chain disruptions will not normalise before the end of 2022, according to the latest Container Forecaster report published by Drewry on 5 October. The supply chain crisis has worsened during Q2 2021, with cases of COVID-19 temporarily closing some Chinese terminals, and extreme weather events occurring in some regions. Drewry expects that fleet growth will continue to lag behind demand growth this and next year, but the discrepancy will be eased from 2023 onwards when the orders for newbuilt vessels will come to the market.

On 6 October, EU environment ministers held a first formal debate on the Fit for 55 Package, with a particular focus on initiatives that fall under the remit of the Environment Council, including the revision of the EU ETS (inclusion of maritime transport and separate ETS system for road transport and buildings sector) and the establishment of the EU Social Climate Fund. The preliminary exchange of views suggests discussions will be tense and compromises will be difficult to achieve among Member States.

What can make Rail Freight more attractive? This question was raised to rail freight customers at the event on rail freight, organised by the European Commission, in cooperation with the Luxembourg Ministry of Mobility and CER on the 5th of October in Bettembourg, Luxembourg. Achieving Europe’s modal shift ambitions will only be realistic if the right framework conditions are put in place. Multimodality can play a key role in this. CLECAT has put to paper its views on the upcoming review of the Combined Transport Directive. Europe can’t afford to miss another opportunity to get it right with this new proposal.