The Swiss decision to introduce new freight wagon wheels requirements contradicts “the Principle of Interoperability under the EU-Switzerland Land Transport Agreement”, according to the International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP). As a consequence, various players will challenge these decisions to the competent courts, the union stated.
Earlier this week, Switzerland decided to extend the timeframe for the implementation of these new rules from the end of 2025 to the end of 2026. Despite welcoming the extended timeframe, UIP keeps denouncing the unilaterality and complexity of the measure.
Almost 50,000 wagons might be sidelined
The new rules set out by the Swiss Federal Office of Transport (FOT) change the minimum diameter required for wheels from 860 to 864 millimetres and would introduce more frequent maintenance checks. In reality, this new threshold would make many of the wagons currently in operation unfit, leading companies and associations to sound the alarm. “The rules create a range of serious challenges, including to the integrity of the European Single Market”, UIP pointed out.
The Union said it “represents a fleet of a quarter of a million, which is around half of Europe’s wagons. Wagon keepers have strived to adapt so that only 20% of this fleet would be affected by the Swiss FOT ruling.” This means that at least 46,000 wagons are still in danger of not being able to run in Switzerland, a key transit country for European rail freight, UIP stressed.
European recommendations expected for year’s end
Switzerland’s decision comes in the aftermath of the accident inside the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which occurred in the summer of 2023 and disrupted traffic for almost a year. The main issue at hand is that the Joint Network Secretariat is already working on developing updated recommendations on a European level in response to the accident, which are expected for the end of this year.
On the other hand, the Helvetic Federation decided to take matters into their own hands, without considering the impact for other European countries. “By keeping its unilateral national measures on the table, Switzerland is jumping to conclusions without respecting the pan-European processes already in place and, without the necessary multilateral technical debate”, UIP reiterated.
The wagon keepers union is thus asking to use the extended timeframe to find a common and harmonised framework for implementation by the end of 2026. However, Switzerland seems pretty firm on its decision, as it claims it would significantly improve safety. How the story will unfold remains to be seen, but worries remain at a high level, especially for Italy, which heavily relies on Switzerland to move its goods towards northern Europe.