For the fifth year in a row, the rail freight community gathered in Vienna for the annual Rail Freight Day. This year’s edition was organised by the European Commission (DG MOVE), RailNetEurope (RNE) and the Austrian Presidency of the Council.

Yesterday, the European Commission published its Communication ‘’A clean planet for all – A European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy’ setting the long-term strategy for greenhouse Gas emissions reductions. The Communication, presented ahead of the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties, taking place in Katowice in December 2018, outlines the way forward for the EU climate, energy and transport policies and entails the EU strategy in line with the Paris Agreement that will bring forward a vision of a low carbon economy protecting the planet and its people.

On 22 November, the MEPs of the joint Committee on Transport and Tourism and Committee on Industry, Research and Energy voted their amendments on the report on Connecting Europe Facility Regulation. The TRAN-ITRE Committee adopted the EP report, coordinated under the rapporteurs Henna Virkkunen, Marian-Jean Marinescu and Pavel Teli?ka by 71 votes in favour, 19 votes against and 3 abstentions. The initial Commission’s proposal foresees €12.8 billion for the general CEF Transport envelope, €11.3 billion for the contribution from the Cohesion Fund, and €6.5 billion for the military mobility.

Last week, the Graz Declaration promoting a ‘green deal’ for Europe was adopted under the Austrian Presidency at the Informal Meeting of Transport and Environment Ministers. The rail sector associations CER, EIM, ERFA, UIP, UIRR and UNIFE jointly welcome the new political initiative pushing for environment friendly transportation in Europe.

Today, the Transport and Tourism Committee at the European Parliament has voted its amendments on the Recast Regulation 1371/2007 on Passengers’ Rights and Obligations. The proposal foresees strengthened rights for all rail passengers, including people with reduced mobility (PRMs), and provides amendments to the Regulation in terms of accessibility of information, rights in situation of delays, missed connections or train cancellations. The Regulation also enhances the complaints-handling procedure, the force-majeure scenarios and the assistance to PRMs.

The EIM Technical Steering Group (TSG) elected as Vice-Chairs Francisco José Contreras Martinez from the International Department at the Spanish rail Infrastructure Manager ADIF, and Jean-Marc Pourchier, Interoperability Manager at the French rail Infrastructure Manager SNCF Réseau (FR). They will support Andy Doherty, the Chair of EIM’s TSG Chair and Chief Technical Officer of the British rail Infrastructure Manager Network Rail (UK) in his duties.

Today, the General Assembly of EIM unanimously re-elected Pier Eringa, Chief Executive Officer of the Dutch rail Infrastructure Manager ProRail, as EIM President. EIM’s General Assembly also elected two EIM Vice-Presidents, Miguel Nieto Menor, Director General of the Spanish rail Infrastructure Manager ADIF (ES) and Graham Hopkins, Group Director of Safety, Technical & Engineering of the British rail Infrastructure Manager Network Rail (UK).

On 6th June, the European Commission presented its proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility Regulation as part of the next Multiannual Financial Framework for the period of 2021-2027. The proposal foresees €12.8 billion for the general CEF Transport envelope, €11.3 billion for the contribution from the Cohesion Fund, and €6.5 billion for the military mobility.

EIM supports the “Ljubljana Declaration” with 45 Stakeholders members of the CEF Transport Campaign