DAC Sector Statement: Rail freight automation and digitalisation to meet EU greening targets

Railway freight automation and digitalisation are key to the viability and long-term prospects of this sustainable mode of transport in Europe. Together they are important enablers for the transport sector to create more modern and safer work environments while helping to meet the EU's greening targets.

Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) offers an innovative solution to automatically couple and decouple the rolling stock in a freight train both physically (the mechanical connection and the air line for braking), as well as digitally (electrical power and data connection).

With this Railway Sector Statement on Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC), the representative bodies AERRL, CER, EAL, EIM, FEDECRAIL, UIP, UIRR, UITP, UNIFE as well as their members express their steadfast commitment and support for the implementation of DAC. Together we call on the European Commission and Member States to jointly start work on shaping the political, budgetary and legal framework conditions for a coordinated European deployment of DAC and its automation and digital technology. We further underline the necessity of establishing a centralised European Deployment Management Entity, as specified in the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking EU DAC Investment Plan study, for essential coordination at European level.