News
14 Mar 2014

EU TRANSPORT COUNCIL ADOPTS A FAVOURABLE POSITION ON SHIFT²RAIL, A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS THE CREATION OF THE JOINT UNDERTAKING FOR RAIL RESEARCH

UNIFE—the European Rail Industry Association, on behalf of the 115 organisations promoting the SHIFT²RAIL initiative, lauds the Council of the European Union’s adoption of a favourable position on the regulation establishing the SHIFT²RAIL Joint Undertaking.

SHIFT²RAIL is an unprecedented joint effort by the European rail sector and the European Union to create a step change in rail technology in order to meet three major targets: enhancing the capacity of the European rail system to cope with increased user demand, increasing the reliability and quality of rail services, and significantly reducing the life cycle cost of the overall system.

This initiative, prepared by the European Commission, will make rail transport more attractive to millions of European passengers and freight users and boost the competitiveness of the most sustainable transport mode. SHIFT²RAIL will encompass research, innovation and demonstration activities in all aspects of the rail system, amounting to no less than €920 Million, co-financed by the EU and the private sector under the Horizon2020 budget across the 6 year lifespan of the initiative.

Philippe Citroën, Director General of UNIFE, the association coordinating the SHIFT²RAIL initiative, added: “UNIFE is very pleased with the outcome of today’s Transport Council meeting. SHIFT²RAIL will help revolutionise rail travel and make it more attractive to end users as well as boosting the competitiveness of the Rail Industry. UNIFE would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Greek Presidency for making SHIFT²RAIL one of their transport priorities.

UNIFE hopes for a positive vote in the European Parliament’s ITRE Committee to adopt the draft report on the Establishment of the SHIFT²RAIL Joint Undertaking on Tuesday next week.

Further information on the initiative can also be found on the initiative’s website www.shift2rail.org

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