On this page, you will learn about:
- EU rail transport policy
- EU railway packages
The EU's common rail transport policy
Over the last 30 years, the EU and its member states have worked together to develop a common transport policy for rail.
EU rail policy contributes to the wider policy objectives for the transport sector overall which aim to achieve connected, sustainable, inclusive, safe and secure mobility within the EU.
Increasing the share of rail transport in the EU is an essential objective for decarbonising the economy and achieving the EU's climate goals. Rail transport is the most sustainable means of transport as it represents only 0.5% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions (2017 data).
A key element of the EU's transport policy is the establishment of nine core network corridors across the EU. The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) aims to create a network of railway lines, roads, inland waterways, maritime routes, ports and airports to connect EU countries and facilitate cross-border transport of people and supplies.
COVID-19: EU measures to support the transport sector
The transport sector has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As early as March 2020, EU member states agreed on the need to have a coordinated approach to:
- ensure economic continuity and connectivity through the transport offer
- protect transport workers and their free movement across borders
- contain the virus spread
For the railway sector, EU policy focuses on the main goal of establishing a single European railway area, an EU-wide system of railway networks which would allow the expansion of the rail sector based on competition, technical harmonisation and joint development of cross-border connections.
To this end, the EU aims to:
- open and restructure the rail market
- increase competitiveness by creating a level playing field for companies
- develop infrastructure to ensure interoperability
- improve efficiency in infrastructure use and safety
- ensure fair prices for consumers
As part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented its sustainable and smart mobility strategy in December 2020. The strategy outlines the EU's goals for the transport sector for the coming decades: making mobility green, smart and resilient. For the rail sector, the strategy calls for a doubling of high-speed rail by 2030 in the EU.
In June 2021, the Council adopted conclusions on this topic. The Council welcomed the Commission’s strategy and subscribed to its ambitious vision for the transport sector and its contribution to sustainability over the coming years and decades.
In December 2021, the Commission detailed its sustainable and smart mobility strategy for the international rail passenger traffic.
Legislation: EU railway packages
The expansion and harmonisation of the EU's rail sector has faced a number of challenges which have slowed down the process of EU integration in the sector:
- traditional fragmentation of the European railways due to complex stand-alone national systems
- low efficiency, flexibility and reliability of the service, in particular for freight
These challenges have prevented further growth of the rail sector's share in Europe's mobility landscape, despite demand from consumers and the potential rail transport offers as a climate-friendly solution.
6.9% of passenger mobility in the EU is provided by railways. This percentage was stable from 1995 to 2018 (European Commission).
Consumer satisfaction with rail transport is quite high across the EU: average 74.9% in 2017.
The main EU legislation supporting the development of EU rail policy consists of four legislative packages adopted by the Council and the European Parliament between 2001 and 2016. These include common provisions on:
- liberalisation of the rail market
- licensing of railway undertakings and train driver certification
- safety requirements
- the creation of the European agency for railways and rail regulatory bodies in each Member State
- rail passenger rights
The fourth and last railway package, comprising six legislative acts and focusing on the final elements of opening the railway market and increasing its competitiveness, came into effect in 2021.
In addition, through the European Rail Traffic Management Systems (ERTMS), the EU wants to contribute to the creation of a safe and efficient railway area. The ERTMS ensures that rail traffic across the EU is safe by enforcing compliance with speed restrictions and signaling, while at the same achieving technical harmonisation on the main links.
The EU's rail policy is supported by a number of financing programmes, including the Connecting Europe Facility which funds strategic investment projects in the areas of transport, digital and energy.
Following the provisional agreement between the Council and the Parliament, the new programme for the period 2021-2027 was first adopted by the Council in June 2021 and later by Parliament in July. After publication in the EU Official Journal, the regulation applies retroactively from 1 January 2021. The transport sector will receive the bulk of the funding (about €25 billion out of €33 billion), of which by far the largest share will be dedicated to rail.
Focus on rail freight transport
The EU is investing in developing infrastructure to better connect member states for the cross-border transport of goods. Today 11 rail freight corridors cross the continent. They help to increase the share of the rail sector in freight transport which today covers about 19% of the total (more than half is covered by road transport, which has a higher carbon impact and is less environmentally friendly).
In the context of the European Year of Rail, the Portuguese presidency of the Council and the General Secretariat of the Council organised an online conference about rail freight transport.