Ahead of next Monday's meeting of ministers of the Transport of the European Union, during which it will be Discussed the current proposal for revision of the Regulation on EU guidelines for the development of the trans-European network of transport (TEN-T) with the aim of reaching agreement on a general approach of the Council of the European Union, associations representing the rail transport sectors and European intermodal - CER, ERFA, UIP, UNIFE and UIRR - issued a joint declaration highlighting the need that the Council of the EU adopts an agreement that is in line with the ambitions expressed by the European Commission, and this so that rail freight transport is able to reach the Objectives set out in the European strategy for a sustainable and smart mobility. This - they have emphasized associations - absolutely requires that the railway infrastructure is developed in a timely manner and facilitates the increase in the volume of goods transported by rail.

In the CER statement, ERFA, UIP, UNIFE and UIRR expressed the fear that the right ambitions of the EU Commission "will be reduced by an agreement in the Council which, on the one hand, maintains the basic structure of the proposal and, on the other hand, There is a risk of too often foreseeing the possibility of a Uncoordinated flexibility and different exemptions national'.

Ahead of Monday's meeting, the five associations outlined the issues that they felt deserved more attention, starting from the deployment of ERTMS, the system European standard for traffic management, control and protection railway with respect to which - explained CER, ERFA, UIP, UNIFE and UIRR "the Council seems to set 2050 as new deadline for the comprehensive network, and only where the Member State interested deems it necessary. This deadline - they found associations - will further delay the possibility to be able to rely on a fully equipped railway infrastructure interoperable, but the wording also makes the deadline considerably less binding. On the contrary, a clear path towards full deployment of ERTMS in the near future deadline, i.e. by 2030 respectively for the network "core" and 2040 for the "non-core" network.

The associations also highlighted the need to 'ensure that the railway infrastructure enables transport of containers and semi-trailers four meters high which is essential for rail freight transport, as represent the new standards according to which the requirements of the infrastructure must adapt to P/C 400. If you want meet market needs and enhance transport intermodal - the five associations have observed - such requirement should apply to intermodal transport and at least to a predefined list of international train paths for the freight transport of the TEN-T core network (the Rail Freight Corridors or a substantial subset thereof), including their main connecting lines to and from transhipment terminals, from agree between Member States after consulting the sector railway. However, the Council seems to prefer an approach which limits too much the need to comply with the P/C 400 profile, putting at risk the possibility of transporting containers and modern semi-trailers and to enhance rail transport and intermodal of goods'.

The associations also hope that the Council will maintain the orientation of the legislative proposal with regard to: the inclusion of important sections in the TEN-T core network missing infrastructure and cross-border links, and the identification of additional multimodal freight terminals, and of new urban nodes. "We have confidence - they specify between the other - that the Council will recognize the importance of connecting inland ports and seaports to infrastructure "core" and "comprehensive" network railways by 2030 and 2050 respectively.'

In addition, CER, ERFA, UIP, UNIFE and UIRR consider "fundamental ensure that an adequate amount of infrastructure for alternative fuels is installed in grid segments TEN-T where electrification is not possible or for which An exemption from the electrification obligation could be granted in accordance with the relevant provisions of the TEN-T. Therefore - have detected - the Fuel Infrastructure Regulation Alternatives should be fully aligned with the Regulation TEN-T in order to maximise its impact'.

Finally, in the opinion of the associations, the text 'does not take sufficiently consideration is given to rail infrastructure at high speed" and should also be given priority strengthening the current Connecting Facility budget Europe to avoid a shortage of funds to provision that would inevitably be reflected in the initiatives of national governments and companies.