EU Rail Research Cuts Threaten Jobs and Rail Networks
Europe could see rail industry job losses and be left with aging tech on its rail networks, without a new public-private research partnership between the European Union and the European rail sector.
Today’s High-Level Event at the European Parliament saw testimony from policymakers, representatives and experts who argue European commuters, rail networks and rail industry workers would lose out if there was no successor to Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking in the upcoming EU Budget.
Members of European Parliament Sophia Kircher (EPP) and Christian Ehler (EPP) joined UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe, and a host of other representatives from Europe’s rail sector, who flagged the consequences of deciding against a new program.
Without joint research investment and sector wide co-ordination, the European Rail Supply Industry could begin a similar decline to the EU automotive sector in the early 2010’s, as global competitors from China now spend at least three times as much on R&I as Europe’s biggest rail suppliers/train-builders.
Unveiled in 2021, ‘Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking’ has focused on developing technology like the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) and a range of other solutions to pressing European rail issues, as in one example, FRMCS – the Future Railway Mobile Communication System.
Through key research programmes, this technology is being fine-tuned and rolled out in the next decade as a solution to ageing signalling on Europe’s busiest lines.
Without a successor to these research programs, Europe is at risk of having the transition from 2G technology to future radio-based communication slowed, increase in cost or even stopped in its tracks.
Without this boost to European research, foreign high-risk suppliers could be further advantaged on the European rail market, leaving the continent open to a major cybersecurity risk, on top of the failure to modernise rail networks and lagging competitiveness in an industry which is one of the last retaining genuine global industrial leadership.
The European Rail Supply Industry is ready to commit and match funds of up to €3bn in a future research program, as part of Horizon Europe in the next EU Budget.
The programme is central for developing a range of technologies which utilise everything from satellites to boosting climate resilience, while also fine-tuning technologies to bring down the cost of deployment on rail networks.
Overall, the European Rail Supply Industry employs 650,000 people including construction, and supports a range of other supply chains throughout Europe.
Quotes attributable to UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe
“With significant other pressures on the industry such as regulatory burdens and being locked out of nearly half the world’s rail markets, we need a successor to Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking to stay competitive.”
“Without a successor program, we go back to the old days of no-coordination between EU Member States, industry, operators and policymakers. How can we build, optimise, innovate and roll-out a shared signalling system for Europe, let alone other rail solutions, if everyone isn’t working together?”
Quotes attributable to Member of European Parliament Sophia Kircher (EPP)
"If we want Europe’s rail industry to remain a global leader and if we want rail to regain momentum in modal share, we need to invest in research and innovation today.”
“The most effective way to do this is at European level, through a renewed dedicated standalone Rail Joint Undertaking in the next EU budget 2028-2034 that brings our strengths together and turns European innovation into solutions on the ground.”
