CER Urges EU to Strengthen Rail Sector for Green Mobility

Post by : Amit

CER Leaders Call on European Union to Strengthen Rail Sector as Backbone of Green Mobility
In a decisive push for sustainable transportation and climate resilience, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) has issued a strong call to the European Union (EU) to boost support for the rail sector, which is seen as the backbone of Europe's green mobility ambitions. At a time when environmental concerns and energy transition strategies dominate the European agenda, rail industry leaders are urging policymakers to recognize rail’s vital role in achieving the EU Green Deal and Fit for 55 objectives.

The plea was made during a high-level meeting where CER leaders outlined strategic priorities to ensure rail remains central to Europe’s sustainable transport future.

Rail: The Unsung Hero of European Sustainability Goals
The rail sector is widely regarded as the most environmentally friendly mode of land transport, generating less than 1% of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. However, despite its environmental advantages, rail currently carries only a modest share of both passenger and freight traffic.

CER is advocating for urgent policy interventions and financial support to:

• Expand rail network capacity.
• Modernize stations, signaling, and rolling stock.
• Shift significant volumes of passenger and freight traffic from road and air to rail.

The leaders warned that without these measures, the EU risks missing its ambitious climate neutrality and emissions reduction targets.

Investment, Policy, and Infrastructure
During the meeting, CER representatives laid out several key areas where immediate EU action is required:

1. Increased Investment in Rail Infrastructure:
   The sector needs robust, long-term funding to build new lines, modernize existing infrastructure, and deploy state-of-the-art digital signaling systems such as ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System).

2. Fair Competitive Conditions:
   CER called for the elimination of hidden subsidies that favor road and air transport, arguing that rail must be placed on an equal competitive footing through fair taxation and user charging policies.

3. Cross-Border Rail Connectivity:
   To truly serve as the backbone of European mobility, the rail system must overcome fragmentation and improve interoperability between national networks, making cross-border train travel seamless and efficient.

4. Energy Transition Support:
   As rail moves toward full electrification and green hydrogen integration, CER is requesting EU incentives and regulatory frameworks that support this energy shift.

Rail’s Strategic Role in Energy and Climate Security
With Europe facing mounting pressure from the climate crisis, energy security concerns, and the need for resilient supply chains, rail presents a solution that is not only low-carbon but also energy-efficient and dependable.

According to CER, increased rail usage could:

• Cut Europe’s transport emissions by over 50% by mid-century.
• Significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels, as rail is already the only transport mode extensively powered by electricity.
• Strengthen logistics resilience by shifting freight from congested roadways to more reliable rail corridors.

Building a Seamless, Attractive Passenger Rail Experience
The CER also emphasized the need to make rail travel more appealing to European citizens by:

• Enhancing station infrastructure and passenger services.
• Integrating ticketing and scheduling systems across borders and operators.
• Investing in modern, comfortable rolling stock with better digital connectivity.

These steps are vital for encouraging modal shift from short-haul flights and car journeys to rail, particularly as public consciousness around sustainable travel grows.

Policy Alignment with Green Deal and TEN-T Priorities
CER’s recommendations closely align with the European Green Deal and the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) strategy, which aim to shift freight and passengers towards greener transport modes. The success of these policy frameworks, however, hinges on the EU’s willingness to translate ambitions into actionable funding, legislative support, and enforcement mechanisms.

Without such commitment, rail risks being overlooked in favor of quicker but less sustainable transport investments.

Rail Freight: The Greener Supply Chains
Beyond passenger mobility, CER highlighted the critical role of rail freight in decarbonizing Europe’s logistics sector. The group called on the EU to:

• Remove infrastructure bottlenecks that hinder efficient freight operations.
• Incentivize the use of intermodal transport where rail connects with road and ports.
• Support innovation in freight wagons, terminals, and digital logistics solutions.

Strengthening rail freight is essential not only for carbon reduction but also for economic competitiveness and supply chain security.

 A Decisive Moment for Europe’s Green Mobility
The CER’s call to the European Union represents a decisive moment for the future of rail in Europe. With climate deadlines looming and energy challenges intensifying, policymakers face mounting pressure to place rail at the heart of transportation strategies.

Investing in rail today is not merely an infrastructure decision—it is a commitment to cleaner cities, resilient economies, and a sustainable Europe. As CER leaders have made clear, the time for bold action is now.

Europe, CER, Railways