UIRR — 2025-05-30
News from Brussels
As the greenest transport mode, rail transport is vital for Europe’s economy, security, and sustainability. The European Commission’s "Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy" (1) sets concrete objectives and milestones towards the digitalisation and greening of the transport sector and rail. Achieving Europe’s climate neutrality targets by 2050, including a targeted 90% reduction in European transport GHG emissions, is only possible by attracting more passengers and freight to the rail system (long-distance, regional, suburban and urban rail). Rail therefore needs to increase its efficiency, attractiveness, accessibility and competitiveness.
A coordinated European approach to R&I is vital to accelerate the overcoming of the historic and obstructive fragmentation in the rail system and to deliver harmonised European-wide solutions, making the European rail system more agile, innovative, resilient, capacity-performant, achieve the goals of the Single European Railway Area (SERA) and Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T, including the comprehensive network) and make Europe more competitive.
With an annual global market growth of 3% (expected value of EUR 240bn by 2029) (2), and an investment of 3.6% of its annual revenue to R&I activities, the European rail supply industry is a global leader in design, manufacturing and maintenance of rail systems and products, corresponding to over 650,000 jobs in Europe. In 2023, EU rail passenger transport hit its highest level in years, reaching 429bn passenger-kilometres. Rail accounts for 1.8% of the EU’s total energy consumption in transport, while carrying 17% of freight and around 8% of passengers of EU27 inland transport. At urban node level and close to citizens’ daily needs, light rail, metro and regional/suburban rail have a combined patronage of over 30bn passengers per year in Europe, evenly distributed among them, meaning each local rail mode carries 10 times more passengers than air travel.
The signatories
CER - The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) brings together railway undertakings, their national associations as well as infrastructure managers and vehicle leasing companies. The membership is made up of long-established bodies, new entrants and both private and public enterprises, representing 78% of the rail network length, 81% of the rail freight business and about 94% of rail passenger operations in EU, EFTA and EU accession countries. CER represents the interests of its members towards EU policy makers and transport stakeholders, advocating rail as the backbone of a competitive and sustainable transport system in Europe.
EAL – ERTMS Accredited Labs
EAL is an association of lab platforms to test ERTMS components and subsystems. EAL has been recognized by the European Commission as a Representative Body at the European Union Agency for Railways, and its members contribute to the update and corrections of the test specification of ERTMS. The objective of the Association is to promote, support and accelerate the deployment process of the European Rail Traffic Management (ERTMS) and the European Train Control System (ETCS) from the point of view of the testing and validation, as well as from the research community.
EIM – European Rail Infrastructure Managers
EIM was established in 2002 following the liberalisation of the EU railway market to promote the interests of all rail infrastructure managers in the EU and the EEA. EIM’s primary goal is to promote growth of rail traffic and the development of an open sustainable, efficient, customer-oriented rail network in Europe. EIM provides a single voice to represent its members rail infrastructure managers vis-à-vis the relevant EU institutions and other European stakeholders. EIM also assists its members to develop their businesses through the sharing of experiences and contributing to the technical and safety activities of the European Union Agency for Railways.
FEDECRAIL - European Federation of Museum & Tourist Railways
FEDECRAIL seeks to promote the rescue, restoration and operation of Europe’s railway and tramway heritage. Represent its members’ interests with international agencies, the European Commission and the European Parliament. Encourage the exchange of ideas across national and cultural boundaries and foster co-operation between museum and tourist railway organisations involved in railway heritage. Help provide advice and assistance for such organisations. Study and resolve problems shared in restoring and operating heritage railways and tramways.
UIP – International Union of Wagon Keepers
Founded in 1950, the UIP – International Union of Wagon Keepers, with its seat in Brussels, is the umbrella association of national associations from 14 European countries, thus representing more than 250 freight wagon keepers and Entities in Charge of Maintenance (ECMs). As the voice for more than 248’000 rail freight wagons which perform 50 % of the rail freight tons-kilometers throughout Europe, the UIP represents half of the whole European wagon fleet and one of the most important resources for rail freight transportation in Europe.
UIRR – The voice of Europe’s intermodal freight transport
Founded in 1970, UIRR brings together 100+ leading Intermodal Transport Operators, Transhipment Terminal Managers, Technology Partners and National Associations to steer the EU policy agenda towards a competitive zero-carbon intermodal transport freight sector for Europe. UIRR also advocates for stronger standards, increased interoperability and harmonised digital, operational, and technical processes.
UITP - International Association of Public Transport
UITP is the international association representing public transport stakeholders. In the European Union, UITP brings together more than 450 urban, suburban and regional public transport operators and authorities from all Member States. We represent the perspective of short distance passenger transport services by all sustainable modes: bus, regional and suburban rail, metro, light rail, tram and waterborne.
UNIFE - The European Rail Supply Industry Association
UNIFE, the European Rail Supply Industry Association represents European train builders and rail equipment suppliers. The association advocates for more than 115 of Europe’s leading rail supply companies – from SMEs to major industrial champions – active in designing, manufacturing, maintaining and refurbishing rail transport systems (trains, metros, trams, freight wagons), subsystems and related equipment. UNIFE also brings together national rail industry associations from 12 European countries.
UIC – International Union of Railways
UIC is the worldwide organisation for the promotion of rail transport at a global level and for the collaborative development of the railway system. It brings together more than 200 members across all 5 continents, and includes rail operators, infrastructure managers, railway service providers, and more. UIC maintains close links with all stakeholders in the rail transport sector around the world, including manufacturers, railway associations, and public authorities, as well as with other domains and sectors whose experiences may be beneficial to rail development. UIC's main missions include understanding the business needs of the rail community, developing innovative programmes to identify solutions to these needs, and preparing and publishing documents such as reports, specifications, guidelines, and IRSs that facilitate the implementation of innovative railway solutions.