Meeting in Luxembourg on 11 June, European Transport ministers missed an opportunity to boost rail freight across the EU when they placed political priorities over the business needs of the European transport sector. Discussing ideas to revise the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), as well as a proposal by the European Commission to create a competitive rail freight network, the ministers rejected ambitious ideas to prioritise rail freight and allow non-railway companies to book capacity on the network.

Europe’s independent rail infrastructure managers (EIM) and the European rail supply industry (UNIFE) expressed concern over the outcome of the discussions on the proposed regulation on a competitive rail freight network, saying “For TEN-T, the needs of TEN-t priority projects such as sufficient funding were taken into account. Unfortunately for the freight corridors political rather than business considerations prevailed.” […]

For the full story, please see the attached press release from UNIFE and EIM.

Patrick Keating

Public Affairs Manager

European Rail Infrastructure Managers

Rue de la Loi, 28

B 1040 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 234 37 70

Fax: +32 2 234 37 79

patrick.keating@eimrail.org

www.eimrail.org

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