{"id":124252,"date":"2024-09-10T21:30:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T11:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=55992"},"modified":"2024-09-10T21:30:15","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T11:30:15","slug":"erfa-presents-priority-policy-points-for-new-european-commision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=124252","title":{"rendered":"ERFA presents priority policy points for new European Commision"},"content":{"rendered":"

The European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) has presented four key policy points that it wants the new European Commission to implement. The association wants European rail infrastructure to be fixed, a Single European Railway Area to be put into practice and the sector\u2019s competitiveness to be improved.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The focus points of ERFA\u2019s policy manifesto include infrastructure, track access charges (TAC), ERTMS implementation and a Single European Railway Area.<\/p>\n

In terms of infrastructure, the association wants the TEN-T to be completed and temporary capacity restrictions to be optimised, diminishing the negative impact on rail freight. It wants railway undertakings to be fully compensated for the damages incurred. ERFA points to Switzerland as an exemplary case that can serve as a benchmark.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrack access charges rules and regimes have to be reassessed and developed into a strategic framework to support shift to rail\u201d, ERFA continues. \u201cWe need a multiannual stable framework for TAC and major support measures as TraF\u00f6G in Germany. TAC policy should be the major, non-discriminatory instrument to support rail freight instead of subsidising specific market segments or directly subsidising specific companies.\u201d<\/p>\n

ERTMS<\/h2>\n

ERFA also points to ERTMS as a key point, which has to be \u201cfully prioritised in implementation\u201d, the association says. A condition is that there will have to be reliable implementation plans, which includes a minimisation of specification changes as well as a harmonisation and simplification of test specifications.<\/p>\n

The association stresses that ERTMS on-board units will have to be fully compensated, because railway undertakings do not gain any added value from the technology. \u201cWithout this, ERTMS deployment will remain slow and problematic. There should be no new public investment and finance programs for other technologies until ERTMS is fully implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n

Single European Railway Area<\/h2>\n

Lastly, ERFA points to the Single European Railway Area as a major policy question that has to be resolved. \u201cA Single European Railway Area has to be completed with reduction of bureaucracy, simplified language requirements and simplified certification processes for railway licences and rolling stock\u201d, it says.<\/p>\n

Conor Feighan, ERFA\u2019s secretary general, adds<\/a>: \u201cThe manifesto comes at an important moment ahead of the appointment of a new European Commissioner for Transport. It will be important the incoming Commissioner can ensure that current initiatives can be concluded in a satisfactory manner, such as the Railway Capacity Regulation, whilst also developing an ambitious strategy for rail freight.\u201d<\/p>\n