According to the joint letter, signed by CLECAT (European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistics and Customs), ERFA (European Rail Freight Association), ESC (European Shippers’ Council), UIP (International Union of Wagon Keepers) and UIRR (International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport), the proposed regulation falls short of its intended goals to optimise railway capacity, improve cross-border coordination, enhance punctuality, and increase reliability in rail freight services.
Key concerns highlighted
The European Commission’s proposal aims to create a more integrated and efficient rail network across Europe. However, the associations argue that the Council’s version of the regulation does not go far enough to meet these objectives.
Currently, over 50% of rail freight and nearly 90% of intermodal rail freight operates across at least one national border. The trade bodies says that the existing infrastructure, managed on a national basis, results in a fragmented network that hampers efficient cross-border rail operations.
The joint letter states that for rail freight to be more attractive to end users, a shift from national to international capacity management is essential. This would involve long-term planning and secure international pathways for rail freight, rather than the current patchwork system designed primarily around passenger traffic needs.
Fragmentation and delays
Moreover, the associations warn that making European rules unbinding or subject to national derogations will perpetuate the fragmentation of the rail network. This, they claim, will lead to suboptimal use of European railway infrastructure and insufficient support for European supply chains.
Moreover, the letter goes on to argue that the Council’s proposal does not adequately address the issue of temporary capacity restrictions, which currently cause significant delays and cancellations across many Member States.
The statement also calls for the regulation to include measures that ensure rail freight services become more predictable during such restrictions. The trade bodies says this should be supported by reciprocal incentives for infrastructure managers to plan capacity in a customer-friendly manner.
Delayed implementation and missed targets
Another major point of contention in the letter is the Council’s proposal to delay the regulation’s entry into force until 2029, with certain provisions delayed until 2032.
The associations argue that this timeline undermines the European Commission’s goal of achieving a 50% growth in rail freight by 2030, suggesting that policymakers are abandoning the agreed 2030 objective.
Call for action
As the regulation moves into trilogue negotiations, the associations have urged the European Commission, European Parliament, and the Council to arrive at a text that better addresses the business requirements of a functional European rail freight market.
Without significant changes, they warn, the regulation will likely fail to improve the punctuality and reliability of European rail freight services.