The European Year of Rail launch event challenges and perspectives of the rail sector

On 29th March the European Year of Rail 2021’s official kick-off took place, jointly organised by the European Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the . Streamed live from Lisbon on the eve of the informal Council meeting dedicated to rail, the event addressed a wide audience of citizens and sector stakeholders. The event gave participants the opportunity to discuss the potential of rail in achieving a sustainable and digital mobility transformation as well as the challenges that remain to creating a Single European Rail Area.

During the opening session, ’s Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, highlighted the importance of rail travel in the Portuguese Presidency’s political agenda for transport as well as its key role for passengers and businesses. “Today will be an opportunity to hear the concerns and ambitions of the sector stakeholders regarding the need to accelerate the modal shift to rail, without forgetting the consequences of the pandemic crisis”, explained Mr Santos. Noting the increasing investments in the railway sector by Member States, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister highlighted that the European Year of Rail provided a great opportunity to open up a wider debate to consider options for the future of the sector.

Hop On European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean announced the launch of the Connecting Europe Express, a special EU train running across the continent in the autumn, which “will be a real, tangible example of the power of rail to connect while encouraging us all to reflect on what still needs to be done to fully reap the benefits of rail – for passengers and businesses alike”. Mrs. Vălean pointed out that challenges, such as long-standing lack of interoperability and slow progress on digitalisation, must be overcome in order to build a true Single European Railway Area where trains cross borders as smoothly as cars and trucks. The Connecting Europe Express will demonstrate the good cooperation in place between railway undertakings and infrastructure

managers, as well as the several benefits that the Trans-European Transport network (TEN-T) network and the European signalling and train control system (ERTMS) can offer.

The Connecting Europe Express will explore the TEN-T network, starting its journey in September in Lisbon before reaching its terminus in . After crossing several European cities, the train will cross the EU's external borders, visiting friends and partners such as and .

With almost 40 stops, events will bring the rail community and wider public together to discuss the benefits of rail and what must still be done to help it realise its potential.

After a keynote speech from Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur on the European Year of Rail, where she stressed the present challenges for the EU rail sector and the essential actions for the next decade, the event focused on three debates with the participation of some of the key rail stakeholders in Europe as well as other European Year of Rail participants such as the international arts festival EUROPALIA. Speakers’ pitches were followed by dynamic round table discussions on several topics such as rail infrastructure, interoperability, digitalisation and modern services, as well as rail’s role for society as a whole.

Zoom into the debate • The first panel on Rail Infrastructure, Interoperability, Connectivity and Territorial Cohesion highlighted the importance of completing the TEN-T network to make rail the backbone of European mobility and, in this regard, called for renewed public investments in rail infrastructure, notably through the new Recovery and Resilience Facility. Josef Doppelbauer (European Union Agency for Railways) underscored the resilience of rail during the pandemic and noted that it was still safer to travel by train than by car, even when

considering the infection risk of COVID-19. Notwithstanding this, safety should be continuously improved, which is why the Agency is launching the EU Railway Safety Climate Survey, open to everyone’s participation. Carlo Borghini (Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking) emphasised the important role of the new Joint Undertaking Europe’s Rail, which will bring all rail stakeholders together to develop common innovative solutions, ready for deployment in the European market. The panellists also underscored the benefits of digitalisation in the rail sector – with Henri Poupart-Lafarge (UNIFE) noting that the deployment of ERTMS had led to a 25% capacity increase in the Paris-Lyon line.

• The second panel on Modern Services, Smart Mobility and Integration across Modes called for a change of mindset among all rail stakeholders, policymakers and citizens alike, to boost the attractiveness of the sector and achieve the modal shift from road to rail. Robert Homolya (CER) argued that recovery funds should be used for the modernisation of the sector, to make rail smarter, more digital and better connected with other modes. In this regard, Joaquim Guerra (Comboios de Portugal) emphasized the importance of “mobility as a service”, where digital solutions put passengers at the heart of the mobility experience. Clemens Först (Rail Freight Forward) claimed that the 30% modal shift target of the 2011 White Paper for Transport was within reach, with the necessary investments in high- performing infrastructure, innovation and fair economic conditions. Erich Forster (ALLRAIL) underscored the importance of fair market competition to allow newcomers to enter the market.

• In the third and final round, dedicated to the Inclusive Means of Transport with Rich History and Attractive Career Opportunities, the panellists discussed the importance of attracting young talents to the sector. Giorgio Tuti (European Transport Workers’ Federation - ETF) argued that rail companies should offer attractive working conditions, particularly for young workers and women. Sandra Lima (European Passengers’ Federation - EPF) regretted the overall low representation of women in rail. The panel also reflected on how to reassure passengers about the safety of public transport amid the COVID- 19 pandemic and the health measures in place.

Moreover, Koen Clement (Europalia) highlighted how the Year was also an invitation to involve the general public and discuss railways from different perspectives, such as gender, arts and culture. Martin Speer, co-founder of the #FreeInterrail campaign that called for free Interrail passes for young Europeans (and inspired the successful DiscoverEU programme), invited participants to “make the debate more diverse, involve more perspectives”, to see mobility through the eyes of the passenger and to use the railways’ advantage of “offering the ultimate European travel experience”, where “the journey matters”.

Stientje van Veldhoven, the ’ State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, presented findings from the International Railway Passenger Transport Platform following the Ministerial declaration of June 2020. The platform has been working in four areas highlighting the challenges for cross-border passenger rail. Under the Dutch and Austrian coordination, the platform has delivered extensive findings. First, within the area of customer experience and digitalisation, there is a need to accelerate rail ticketing digitalisation in order to boost sales. Second, it is essential to stimulate a network of international passenger services. Thirdly, interoperability issues and missing links need to be addressed. Finally, regarding the regulatory framework, the platform encourages a close cooperation between Member States on developing international rail passengers’ services as well as the harmonisation of regulatory practices in Europe to reduce economic barriers. Furthermore, the State Secretary announced that in June the platform will present a work plan, stressing that action will be key to creating an improved overall framework.

Approaching the end of the ceremony, Karima Delli, Chair of the Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament, and Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, intervened. Mrs. Delli highlighted the importance of the European Year of Rail – the first time where the transport sector is celebrated for an entire year. Commissioner Ferreira used the opportunity to encourage cohesion policy stakeholders to get involved: “Now is the time to ensure that all regions have modern infrastructure and strong network linkages. Now is the time for smarter, more accessible, more user-focussed services. And now is the perfect time, for the year of the train.”

Quotes from the event

Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg MEP and rapporteur on the European Year of Rail

“Let us, at the EU level really have a lessons learnt process at the end of the Year of Rail to describe honestly the obstacles and to describe policies to overcome these obstacles in the next years”.

Carlo Borghini Shift2Rail’s Executive Director

“In this decade what we want to achieve is a major impact that will be tangible and will change the way people will be travelling in the next years, and in order to do this we need to work together, and Europe’s rail is the instrument that will allow us to work together”.

Sandra Lima Project Officer at EPF - European Passengers’ Federation

“It is important we think from a passenger perspective and all passengers, not only the passenger we are, but everyone, people with disabilities, women, people from lower economic resources, non- digital. So, if we do that exercise while we are creating our services and if we talk with those people specifically then we are really going to develop a service that is suitable for everyone.”

Stientje van Veldhoven State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, on behalf of IRP

“We are all fighting COVID-19 taking measures to protect our health and to keep the economy moving. At the same time, we're fighting, and we have to keep fighting climate change and trying to lower our carbon emissions because there's no vaccine against climate change and improving international rail transport is an important contribution to this”.

Koen Clement General Manager of Europalia - Trains and Tracks

“I think that the key word here is dialogue and try to involve all layers of society to have this discussion together. That is the reason why I think that the European Year of Rail is a wonderful opportunity to do that”.

Clemens Först Chairman of Rail Freight Forward - European Rail Freight Vision 2030

“What we need is an interoperable European infrastructure, with capacity also for rail freight, and we need fair economic boundary conditions, with that there will be almost no limits to what rail freight can do for Europe”.

European Year of Rail 2021 launch event Official Programme • Opening Ceremony o Pedro Nuno Santos| Minister for Infrastructure and Housing of Portugal o Adina Vălean| European Commissioner for Transport

• Keynote Speech - The Future of Rail in a Decarbonised and Digitalised Economy o Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg | Member of the European Parliament

• Debates • Rail Infrastructure, Interoperability, Connectivity and Territorial Cohesion o Henri Poupart-Lafarge | CEO of Alstom, on behalf of UNIFE - The European Rail Industry o Josef Doppelbauer | Executive Director of ERA - European Union Agency for Railways o Carlo Borghini | Executive Director of Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking o Francisco Cardoso dos Reis | Director of International Relations of IP - Infraestruturas de Portugal and Chairman of the UIC European Region • Modern Services, Smart Mobility and Integration Across Modes o Robert Homolya | CEO of MAV Hungarian Railways, on behalf of CER-The voice of European Railways o Clemens Först | Chairman of Rail Freight Forward - European Rail Freight Vision 2030 o Erich Forster | CEO of WESTbahn, on behalf of AllRail - Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants in Europe o Joaquim Guerra | Director of Institutional and International Relations of CP Comboios de Portugal • Inclusive Means of Transport with Rich History and Attractive Career Opportunities

o Giorgio Tuti | Chair of the Railway Section of ETF - European Transport Workers’ Federation o Sandra Lima | Project Officer at EPF - European Passengers’ Federation o Koen Clement | General Manager of Europalia - Trains and Tracks o Martin Speer | Co-Founder of FreeInterrail, on behalf of Herr & Speer

• Special appearance - IRP -International Railway Passenger Transport Platform Findings following the Ministerial declaration of June 2020 o Stientje van Veldhoven | State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, on behalf of IRP

• Closing ceremony o Karima Delli | Chair of the TRAN Committee European Parliament o Elisa Ferreira | European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms