ACTIVITY REPORT 2020 Dear Reader, Maintained
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Voice of European Railways ACTIVITY REPORT 2020 Dear Reader, maintained. This task is manifold and particularly challenging at the beginning of a new European The year 2020 will be remembered as the year when Commission but the CER team made sure that the a worldwide pandemic spread across the globe. The sector is included in a variety of initiatives launched Covid crisis came fast, hitting the railway sector at by the von der Leyen Commission. its core - the transportation of people, and goods. 2021 will certainly be equally challenging. Citizens were no longer able to travel to their Unfortunately, the Covid crisis will continue to holiday destinations, go on business trips or accompany us for some time. Our sector will commute to work the way they used to. In addition, continue to need financial support to overcome the the amount of goods transported – due to the difficult economic situation. overall negative impact the crisis had on our economies – decreased rapidly. In the first semester With the European Green Deal, the European of 2020 alone, the rail freight volume throughout Commission has recognised that climate change the EU collapsed by 15 percent, resulting in an and other environment-related challenges are “this estimated loss of EUR 1.25 billion. generation’s defining task”. We can only succeed Foreword if sustainable transport is to be put squarely in the Nevertheless, the Covid crisis has also shown centre of all initiatives undertaken in the transport that under these extraordinary circumstances sector, and if capital expenditure as well as all ANDREAS the railway sector in Europe can be relied upon. financing, funding and subsidy systems in the traffic Railroad employees have ensured that Europeans sector focus on promoting rail transport as the are provided with necessary goods, like food most climate-friendly mode of mass transport in the MATTHÄ and medicines. Furthermore, railways maintained European Union. Europe needs more rail, and the CER Chair essential travel connections for those people who railroads need more Europe! were dependent on transport during the crisis. The representation of interests at European level In this difficult year, CER has actively supported its is teamwork and the CER team under its outgoing members and the entire sector on many fronts. By Executive Director Libor Lochmann has done an coordinating and collecting data for the European excellent job in this difficult year. I would like to Commission, which clearly showed how massively thank Libor Lochman for his tremendous work and the sector was affected or through targeted his outstanding commitment over the last years. As lobbying for legal measures – like the possibility to of 1 January 2021 Alberto Mazzola has taken over waive track access charges – thereby helping to as Executive Director of CER. Having recruited such reduce the severe economic impacts of the crisis. a distinguished expert as Executive Director will certainly add to the excellent standing In addition to all Covid-related activities, the day- of the Association and I wish him every to-day business of representing the interests of success in his new position. the railway sector at European level had to be 2 virus. There is no doubt that the massive impact of we should like to hope will inspire Member States’ Covid-19 on all sectors of the EU economy has been governments when deciding about the distribution of the biggest driver of policymaking in Brussels. And the extraordinary national envelopes. for good reasons, of course: ad hoc policy measures had to be elaborated in all areas to slow down the Declaring a European Year of Rail in 2021 was a pandemic, fight the public health crisis, help the deliberate and most welcome decision to shine a light economy get moving again. on rail’s important role in achieving EU Green Deal Foreword objectives. Far from neglecting such aims amidst the Of course, CER had to change its plans accordingly pandemic, EU policymaking will enter a season of bold and reverted its main focus on all the extraordinary proposals under the aspect of climate policy, with a legislation produced late spring. Of particular special attention to energy: a revised Emission Trading LIBOR importance, in May 2020 the Commission put on System, a revised Effort Sharing Regulation, a new the table a new multi-annual financial framework Energy Efficiency Directive, a Directive on renewable LOCHMAN (MFF) proposal with the greatest budget ever energy, one on energy tax and one on alternative CER Executive Director seen in European history. CER followed the dossier fuel infrastructure. It is most certainly our hope that very closely until its approval in December, when all these efforts will be consistent with the ambition (2012-2020) institutions agreed on a financial envelope of we read in the EU Strategy on Sustainable and Smart EUR 1,074 bn, completed by a top up called ‘Next Mobility published just one month ago. Generation EU’ equal to EUR 750 bn, which will There is one question that traditionally divides EU be financed by a brand new mechanism of own- Last but not least, I cannot forget that this is the last political scientists on as many fronts as there are resources. With these additional resources a new foreword I have the honour of drafting for the CER institutional buildings between Place du Luxembourg budget line called the ‘Recovery and Resilience annual Activity Report. Since January 1st Alberto and Rond-point Schuman: who is the real agenda Facility’ (RRF) could be created – and here Mazzola took the reins of the association’s secretariat setter in Brussels? we are today. in Brussels and will therefore have the responsibility to govern the activities of the association in these Whatever answers have been given in the past, The coming year will certainly be occupied by the complicated times. Let me take this opportunity to 2020 will certainly deserve a chapter of its own, with work on the national recovery plans that should wish him good luck, and to wholeheartedly thank all just one possible answer to that question: the one be able to attract RRF funds. Incidentally, 2021 will those readers that have followed CER’s activities in and only agenda setter of this past year has been a also be the European Year of Rail – something that the last years. 3 CONTENT 5 6 9 12 14 16 17 18 4 CER is the European THE VOICE OF EUROPEAN RAILWAYS association that represents the entire Recognised as the voice of European railways for more than 30 years, CER’s role is to represent the interests of its railway system. members by actively providing an input to EU policy, in particular to support an improved business and regulatory environment for European railway undertakings and infrastructure managers. Founded in 1988 OUR MISSION 73% Represent the interests of our Based in Brussels members on the EU policy- making scene to support of the European rail Staffed by ~ 20 an improved business and network length employees of regulatory environment various nationalities for European railway undertakings and railway 7.5% 9% infrastructure companies. National Other associations 76% CER MEMBERSHIP CER members and partners come from 17.9% EU-27, the United Kingdom, Norway, of the European Passenger Switzerland, EU candidate countries rail freight business operators (Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, 31.3% Montenegro, Serbia), as well as Bosnia Integrated companies and Herzegovina. CER also has partners in Georgia, Israel, Japan, Moldova, and Ukraine. 9% Its diverse membership includes 92% Freight railway undertakings and their national operators associations, infrastructure companies, path allocating bodies and vehicle leasing 10.4% 14.9% companies, including long-established Passenger and Infrastructure companies, new entrants, and both private of rail passenger freight operators managers and public-sector organisations. operations in Europe 5 CER ACTIVITIES IN 2020 January February March Communication & collaboration Communication & collaboration COVID-19 impacts the CER office. As • CER signs a public statement • The European Transport Workers’ • The third round of CER-ETF Women of mid-March, meetings and events Transport keeps us going with Federation (ETF) and CER hold in Rail negotiations takes place. are organised remotely until further 32 associations from the freight second negotiation round to promote • The national safety authorities (NSAs) notice. sector, supply chain and workers’ the employment of women in the gather for their annual joint meeting representatives. sector. with the Network of Representative Communication & collaboration • CER welcomes the European Bodies (NRB) including CER, in the • Rail stakeholders meet in Brussels Commission proposal to make 2021 Meetings & events presence of the European Union in the Sector Statement Group, for the European Year of Rail. • CER co-sponsors the first Rail Agency for Railways (ERA). which CER runs the Secretariat. Forum Europe reception after the • CER collects data from its members Meetings & events EP elections, with MEP Andrey Meetings & events to understand the full economic • CER speaks at the Polish Novakov and MEP Anna Deparnay- • CER participates in the 6th meeting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Infrastructure & Construction Grunenberg. of the Rail Passenger Security rail passenger and freight services, conference in Warsaw on new • The heads of CER and NS meet Frans Platform (RAILSEC). and regularly updates the European opportunities for Transport. Timmermans, European Commission • CER speaks at the Berner Tage Commission. • The Freight CEO Task Force gathers Executive Vice-President responsible conference on the impact of • CER starts a COVID-19 news page on in Brussels to discuss the next steps for the European Green Deal. digitalisation on contracts of carriage its website. of the Rail Freight Forward initiative. • CER attends a European Commission in passenger and freight transport. • CER joins the COVID-19 Cross- • At the Rail Baltica event Connected meeting on international contingency • The CER Management Committee Industries Platform, coordinated by Baltics in a connected Europe, CER management.