European transport associations and undertakings rail freight are absolutely convinced that Automation and digitalisation of rail freight transport is an important factor in enabling the sector to achieve the climate objectives of the European Union. Automation and digitalization - highlighted associations and companies in a joint declaration sent to the EU institutions - which will enable rail freight transport, which today is in decline, to become more efficient and more attractive to logistics service providers and Freight forwarders.

The declaration is intended to express the support of the associations and companies in the sector to the intention of the EU institutions to implement new technologies in the sector rail, in particular Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC), The automatic digital coupler for coupling and decoupling automatically the rolling stock of a freight train with mode both physical and digital. The declaration urges the European Commission, other EU institutions and Member States to start defining the political, financial and legal to allow a DAC implementation on all wagons railways and locomotives which is coordinated at European level at To accelerate the digitalisation of rail transport of goods. The declaration stresses the need for to ensure strong public support for the implementation phases of the DAC and full complementarity with the necessary investments in infrastructure and the ERTMS management system, and Rail traffic control.

In that regard, the declaration states that 'the the market alone cannot withstand such a transformation, and No single company will be able to collect alone the capital investments necessary for such an undertaking, Because it is first and foremost a type of investment on European scale. If social benefits and Economic - it is specified - it is therefore urgently necessary a substantial public support, in particular for the introduction of of the automatic digital coupler (DAC) and its automation and digital technology».

The statement highlights that "this Transformation, deliberate and unprecedented, has an impact on the whole rail freight transport system, including its customers. Datum whereas rail freight transport is largely and is essential for the realisation of the Single European railway area, careful planning, a Supervision and good coordination are essential for master the implementation of the European DAC, including its automation and digital technology».

In the opinion of the signatory associations and companies, in the entire migration phase to the DAC 'a single non-discriminatory European fund and financing plan, established jointly by the EU as well as EU countries and non-EU covering the modernisation of wagons and locomotives existing and other related capital and operating expenses the introduction of the DAC. The funding rate - underlines the declaration - must avoid any deterioration of the Competitiveness of the European rail transport sector of goods in general and of its individual members. It should also reflect the time interval between investments and full realisation of benefits'.

Associations and companies have suggested what they could be the phases of coordinated implementation of the DAC at European level, to Starting from the definition of a legislative package between now and 2028, while starting a large-scale testing phase from 2025 across Europe with around 100 trains equipped with the new technology with total expected costs of around 210 million euros. Therefore From 2028, the distribution and dissemination phase of the DAC whose total costs are estimated at around 13 billion euros based on 2021 prices.