On the move to a Net-Zero EU: The European Rail Supply Industry’s priorities for 2024-2029
The European Rail Supply Industry unveiled today an ambitious, positive agenda for EU policymakers and voters, which puts climate solutions, skills, innovation, better regulation, and gender equity at the heart of a strategy that will turbo-charge European rail and create jobs as a net-zero industry.
UNIFE released today “On the move to a Net-Zero EU”, a document which outlines the European Rail Supply Industry’s priorities for the 2024-2029 EU legislative cycle, as part of the industry’s #VoteForRail campaign.
As part of the campaign, UNIFE will ask European voters to consider political platforms at the 2024 European elections which invest in rail solutions, tackle climate change and digitalisation challenges, support European technologies, promote upskilling or address the gender gap in STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
UNIFE, among its key policy demands for the next legislative cycle, underscores and identifies the private and public funding requirements which are central to ensuring the rail sector achieves net zero and becomes the backbone of Europe’s future prosperity. This includes providing calculations to policymakers to help meet already established completion dates for existing rail projects and environmental transitions. For example, €47 billion per year will be necessary to complete the TEN-T Core rail network by 2030 fully. Such rail investments could create tens of thousands of net-zero jobs throughout European rail supply chains.
UNIFE’s ambitious and positive agenda asks EU policymakers ahead of the European elections in June to consider the following priorities as part of the next mandate:
- Prioritising net-zero industry in the 5-year programme of the European Commission and boosting rail supply competitiveness and manufacturing, while reducing the administrative burden for companies
- Aligning European transport trends with the objectives of the European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and intensifying public policies to trigger a modal shift for passenger and freight transport
- Pursuing and increasing financial support to rail as part of strategic investments to meet climate challenges, with a true level-playing field on the EU procurement market
- Achieving a true European single market for railway systems and the smooth deployment of rail solutions, simplifying the European rail technical and regulatory framework with a swifter and less costly vehicle authorisation
- Acknowledging the specificities of the rail sector to fully reap the benefits of digitalisation and cybersecurity opportunities and to maintain the competitiveness of the European Rail Supply Industry
- Achieving open and fair international markets, especially in public procurement, as well as a coherent EU strategy in third-country project financing to support the European Rail Supply Industry
- Increasing and facilitating the support to European rail research and innovation, with competitiveness of the European Rail Supply Industry as its core objective
- Increasing support at all levels (European, national, regional) to raise the attractiveness of rail supply jobs and the availability of talent, including targeting more women to join the rail sector
UNIFE Director General Philippe Citroën stated: “Rail only accounts for 0.4% of Europe’s total transport greenhouse gas emissions, which means the rail supply industry is perfectly placed to be a backbone of Europe’s future prosperity as a net-zero industry. There is no climate neutrality without a strong European Rail Supply Industry. And for us to be strong, we need better regulation, and a focus on upskilling and training the next gender-balanced generation of workers, who can help deliver a key piece of Europe’s green transition. Voters and many within public life want vision and practical solutions. With our positive plan, we provide detailed policy suggestions, as Europe is challenged with questions about its climate transition, skills, strategic autonomy and the ability to innovate.”
To read the full text of the European Rail Supply Industry’s Priorities for 2024-2029 click here.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact UNIFE Head of Communications Andrei Ciufu, via email at andrei.ciufu@unife.org or by calling +32 2 626 12 64.
Based in Brussels since 1992, UNIFE is the Association representing the European Rail Supply Industry at EU and international level. UNIFE gathers more than 120 direct company Members – from numerous SMEs to major industrial champions from all over Europe – active in the design and manufacture of rolling stock (i.e. trains, metros, trams, freight wagons) as well as rail signalling and infrastructure equipment. UNIFE also brings together national rail industry associations from 11 European Members States. For more information, visit www.unife.org or follow us on LinkedIn and X.
