Brussels September 2001

On Wednesday 12th September 2001, the European Commission adopted the White Paper on ‘European transport policy in the run up to 2010 – a time to decide’.

The adoption of the European Commission’s White Paper signals a new departure for European transport policy. The paper shows a new commitment to sustainable development through their focus on rail as a solution to Europe’s transport problems. Furthermore, the goal of creating a single market for rail is now set to become a reality through various measures recommended in the paper. In general, the specific measures that have been foreseen for rail represent the first important steps towards the establishment of a regulatory and economic framework that will help the rail mode to regain market share and once again reach 1998 levels by 2010. By ensuring this, the European Commission supports a more harmonious development of the transport market as well as reduced bottlenecks and increased traffic capacity.

UNIFE (The European Association of Railway Industries) welcomes the Commission’s proposed strategies and the means to achieve sustainable mobility in an enlarged European Union. Among them, UNIFE supports the proposed modal shift to be promoted through regulatory and economic means such as infrastructure charging and the promotion of a level-playing field across modes. UNIFE also supports the proposed measures to ensure a single market for rail, which will help ensure that rail becomes a competitive transport mode, such as the creation of common rules, the gradual opening of the passenger transport market and the opening up to competition of internal goods traffic. UNIFE also look forward to the new ‘rail package’ and the opportunities it will bring.

In the White Paper, several issues and challenges for the transport sector in the run up to 2010 are highlighted that will entail courageous moves by the European institutions, national policy-makers and industry partners to achieve the ambitious and necessary goals that the document outlines.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Single European Railway System by implementing the Interoperability requirements and the implementation of a Joint European Rail Research (recently signed by UNIFE, UIC, CER, UITP and the European Commission ), represents a first pro-active move to the realisation of these ambitious goals.

UNIFE also maintains that the other stakeholders involved in the transport value chain should take up the challenge of improving the transport system as a whole and foster its competitiveness. For this reason, the EU-funded Marco Polo Program for the promotion of inter-modal transport is regarded as a useful tool to encourage a high-level of co-operation among the diverse transport actors.

At the same time, UNIFE welcomes the proposal to raise the participation of EU funding up to 20 per cent of total costs, for Trans-European cross-border rail projects that go over natural barriers.

The highlighted proposals present opportunities as well as challenges for the railway sector stakeholders (operators and supply industry) to enhance performance in a competitive environment. UNIFE recognises that a more commercial attitude vis-à-vis final transport customers and technological innovations need to be enhanced and promoted.

UNIFE represents nearly 100 leading European companies responsible for the design, manufacture, maintenance and refurbishment of guided land transport systems, subsystems and related equipment. UNIFE has 10 National Organisations as associated members representing another 900 railway supply companies. The European rail supply industry generates 20 Billion Euro in revenue per year and employs 130 000 people. UNIFE members manufacture 60% of the world-wide production of rail equipment.

* UIC (Railway International Union), CER (Community of European Railways), UITP (International Union of Public Transport)