COUNCIL POSITION ON RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY REGULATION WILL NOT IMPROVE RAIL FREIGHT SERVICES
On 19 June, CLECAT, ERFA, ESC, UIP, and UIRR issued a joint statement following the disappointing Council's General Approach (GA) on the Rail Capacity Regulation. While the European Commission's proposal aimed to optimise railway capacity and improve cross-border coordination, the GA falls short in addressing these goals.
The signatory associations stressed that over 50% of rail freight and nearly 90% of intermodal rail freight operate across at least one national border. However, infrastructure management remains fragmented and nationally focused, leading to a patchwork system that hinders seamless international coordination. The GA preserves the status quo by allowing non-binding European rules and national deviations, perpetuating a fragmented management of rail freight services which undermines the optimal use of European railway infrastructure. The Council's proposal to delay the Regulation's implementation until 2029, and 2032 for some provisions, jeopardises the EU's goal of achieving a 50% growth in rail freight by 2030, suggesting that policymakers are giving up on the objective.
Ahead of the trilogue negotiations, CLECAT and the other associations emphasise the urgent need for the European Commission, Parliament, and Council to agree on a text which places a greater emphasis on meeting the business requirements of a functioning European rail freight market. If not, the proposed Regulation risks failing to enhance the punctuality and reliability of European rail freight services.
The full joint statement can be
access it here.