Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Towards a rail network giving priority to freight {SEC(2007) 1322} {SEC(2007) 1324} {SEC(2007) 1325}
Date: 2007-10-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: carriage of goods, common transport policy, rail network, transport infrastructure, transport market

EN 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 18.10.2007 
COM(2007) 608 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Towards a rail network giving priority to freight 

{SEC(2007) 1322} 
{SEC(2007) 1324} 
{SEC(2007) 1325} 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Towards a rail network giving priority to freight 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

1.1 

A small share of the market but opportunities for rail freight 

Between 1995 and 2005 freight transport performance grew by 2.8% per annum, outstripping 
GDP growth over the same period. Transport technology (infrastructure and vehicles) evolved 
considerably,  as  did  the  approach  of  the  consigners,  who  became  increasingly  demanding 
with  regard  to  the  carriers.  Rail  freight’s  market  share  steadily  declined,  levelling  off  at 
around 10% in 2005,1 its lowest level since 1945 (see Annex I2). 

Rail freight is at present encountering a number of difficulties which can be partly explained 
by its inability to increase its market share. They mainly concern its reliability, the capacities 
available, information management, average speed and flexibility. 

Nevertheless, new opportunities do seem to be presenting themselves. Rail freight, which has 
now  been  opened  up  to  competition,  is  becoming  revitalised  in  some  Member  States,  as  a 
result in particular of the increase in trade, road congestion, the high price of oil and growing 
concerns  about  environmental  conservation.  Container  transport  and  long-haul  journeys, 
segments  where  the  railways  have  genuine  advantages,  are  continuing  to  expand  (see 
Annexes I and II). 

1.2 

Action already undertaken by the European Community 

The European Community has, over the last 15 years or so, been engaged in a policy aimed at 
revitalising the rail sector on the basis of a three-fold approach: 

–  A freight market on a European scale was established by means of the first3 and second4 
railway  packages.  The  gradual  opening–up  of  the  rail  freight  market,  which  became 
complete  in  January  2007,  was  accompanied  by  the  restructuring  of  the  incumbent 
undertakings. Rail freight costs fell by 2% per annum between 2001 and 2004, while rail 
transport tariffs fell by 3% per annum over the same period.5 

–  The  development  of  technical  interoperability  and  common  safety  rules.  The  recent 
initiatives concerning the European train driver's licence and the proposal submitted by the 

1 
2 

3 

4 
5 

EU-25, in terms of performance (tonne-km). 
The  annexes  are  grouped  together  in  the  Commission  staff  working  paper  "Annex  to  the 
Communication 'Towards a rail network giving priority to freight' ". 
Directives 2001/12, 2001/13 and 2001/14 of 26 February 2001. See the report on the implementation of 
the first package - COM(2006)189 of 3 May 2006. 
Directives 2004/49/EC, 2004/50/EC, 2004/51/EC and Regulation 881/2004/EC of 29 April 2004. 
CER, The Future of Rail Freight in Europe. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Commission towards the end of 2006 on the cross-acceptance of rolling stock come under 
this heading. 

–  The identification of a rail network in the context of the trans-European transport network 
(TEN-T). Financial support has been granted to many rail projects via the TEN-T funds. In 
the context of the TEN-T programme, the Commission has also launched and encouraged 
the  development  of  ERTMS  (European  rail  traffic  management  system),  a  common 
control, command and signalling system designed to replace the existing national systems. 
The Community also provides considerable financial support for the rail sector through its 
cohesion policy. 

These initiatives have not yet produced the results  that were hoped for.  The  Member States 
need  to  complete  the  implementation  of  European  rail  legislation.  Progress  towards 
interoperability is slow, and the difficulties at the borders remain. Consequently, some major 
problems  concerning  the  quality  of  rail  freight  also  persist.  For  example,  according  to  the 
UIRR, only 53% of rail-road intermodal transport trains6 arrived on time in 2006.7 

Overall, an analysis of the results of Community action indicates more favourable results at 
national  level  than  at  transnational  level.  EU  initiatives  have  not  yet  made  it  possible  to 
reduce the fragmentation of the European rail market sufficiently. 

1.3 

Common transport policy guidelines 

In  pursuit  of  the  objective  of  a  modal  shift  from  road  to  rail,  the  White  Paper  on  European 
transport  policy  for  2010  envisaged  the  creation  of  “multimodal  corridors  giving  priority  to 
freight”.  The  2006  review  of  the  White  Paper  stressed  the  EU’s  objective  of  developing 
co-modality, i.e. “the efficient use of different modes on their own and in combination”8 and 
takes up the idea of promoting a “rail freight network” (see Annex III). 

The need for measures to encourage the emergence of a rail network giving priority to freight 
was also indicated in the Commission’s June 2006 communication “Freight transport logistics 
in Europe, the key to sustainable mobility”.9 The establishment of such a network is also part 
of the process of bringing about a single market, as envisaged in the Treaty and the economic 
growth and employment objectives set out in the Lisbon Agenda. It will also contribute to the 
sustainable development policy being pursued by the European authorities. 

2. 

2.1 

THE  OBJECTIVES  AND  OPTIONS  FOR  A  RAIL  NETWORK  GIVING  PRIORITY  TO 
FREIGHT 

The aim of this communication: to create a strong European rail network, part 
of the TEN-T on which freight transport will be more reliable and efficient 

As  road  transport  steadily  becomes  more  efficient,  rail  transport  has  to  become  more 
competitive, especially as regards quality. For logistics customers, quality means in particular 

6 
7 

8 
9 

Intermodal transport represents in volume about 15% of rail freight traffic. 
The  UIRR  (International  Union  of  Combined  Road-Rail  Transport  companies)  allows  a  maximum 
tolerance of 30 minutes delay. 
Definition of co-modality given in the mid-term review of the transport White Paper. 
COM(2006) 336 final. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
competitive  journey  times,  reliability  of  goods  transport  and  capacity  adapted  to  needs. 
Several  factors  need  to  come  together  to  reach  this  objective,  including  an  approach 
integrating operational procedures and coordinated processes throughout the European Union. 
Infrastructure availability is another factor.  

The aim of this communication is to promote the creation of a strong European rail network 
which will offer a better quality of service in freight transport than today in terms of journey 
times,  reliability  and  capacity.  Improving  service  throughout  this  network  should  have  a 
positive impact on all segments of the freight market, including that of the single wagonload. 
This  objective  ties  in  with  the  Commission's  initiatives  to  improve  the  quality  of  freight 
transport in Europe. After the rejection of the proposal for a Regulation which it had made in 
the framework of the third railway package, the Commission undertook to keep a close watch 
on progress in this area and to propose possible new measures to support and encourage the 
sector's efforts. 

It is possible to form a picture of how this network might become by looking at the existing 
trans-European  networks,  including  the  freight  network  described  in  Directive  2001/12/EC 
and the corridors identified as having priority for the deployment of ERTMS or defined in the 
framework  of  European  research  projects  (Eufranet,  Trend,  Reorient  and  New  Opera).  The 
following map gives a first indication of the corridors which could be included in the network. 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
EN 

5 

   EN 

 
 
2.2 

Initiatives already launched to set up a rail network giving priority to freight  

The players in the sector and the Member States, occasionally with the encouragement of the 
Commission, have already engaged in a number of actions towards developing international 
rail routes ensuring good conditions for the movement of freight or developing coordination 
among  infrastructure  managers  in  investment  planning  or  improving  international  freight 
traffic management. 

These initiatives include the following (see Annex IV): 

–  the development of interoperability, in particular by way of the Technical Specification for 
Interoperability  relating  to  Traffic  Operations  and  Management  (TOM TSI)  and  the 
deployment  of  the  Technical  Specification  for  Interoperability  relating  to  Telematics 
Applications  for  Freight  (TAF TSI)10,  which  is  designed  to  improve  the  management  of 
information on train traffic throughout the continent; 

–  the introduction of Europtirails,11 which informs its users in real time on train positions and 

possible delays in a number of Member States; 

–  the  creation  of  RailNetEurope12  (RNE),  which,  in  particular,  offers  its  customers 
international train paths and is a useful coordination tool for most infrastructure managers; 

–  the  construction  of  important  infrastructures  in  the  TEN-T  network  such  as  the  Betuwe 

Line;  

–  the  creation  of  corridor  structures  by  the  Member  States  and  infrastructure  managers  as 
part of the development of ERTMS along 6 major European routes13 that are important for 
freight.  This  initiative,  which  for  each  corridor  is  based  on  a  letter  of  intent  signed  at 
ministerial level, is backed by a European coordinator appointed by the Commission. The 
main measures proposed in this communication have been inspired by this venture. 

Alongside  the  TEN-T  programme,  all  these  initiatives  are  contributing  effectively  to  the 
creation  of  a  European  rail  network  giving  priority  to  freight.  The  Commission  wishes  to 
monitor them, encourage their more widespread use and add to them. 

2.3 

The  option  adopted:  undertake  new  measures  to  create  a  freight-oriented 
network  

Several  options  have  been  studied  for  creating  the  European  rail  network  giving  priority  to 
freight:  allowing  the  players  in  the  sector  and  the  Member  States  to  act  without  any  new 
Community input; embarking on a series of new measures to create a freight-oriented network 
made  up  of  sections  dedicated  to  freight  and  others  receiving  mixed  passenger  and  freight 
traffic; and launching a specific programme leading to a European freight-dedicated network. 

10 

11 

12 

13 

The TAF TSI and its deployment plan are aimed at developing interoperable information management 
systems for rail freight traffic. 
Europtirails is a software developed by a group of infrastructure managers with Community support. It 
allows them to track international trains in real time. 
RNE, a structure set up on the initiative of infrastructure managers, offers, in particular, "ready-made" 
international train paths and provides operators with a one stop shop for the allocation of these paths. 
The  6  ERTMS  corridors:  A  (Rotterdam-Genoa),  B  (Stockholm-Naples),  C  (Antwerp-Basle-Lyon),  D 
(Valencia-Lyon-Ljubljana-Budapest) , E (Dresden-Prague-Budapest), F (Duisburg-Berlin-Warsaw). 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
                                                 
The latter  option seems to be the most  likely to  meet the  Commission's  objective as set  out 
above. There is, however, a risk that it will become too large, too costly and too much of a 
long-term  prospect.  Looking  at  the  results  of  the  actions  already  undertaken,  it  appears  that 
the first option, the Community status quo, is inadequate. 

The second option, which would comprise initiatives designed in particular to underline the 
coordination  between  the  infrastructure  managers  of  different  Member  States,  and  to 
encourage  and  establish  a  framework  for  the  creation  of  corridors,  seems  to  offer,  for  the 
medium  term,  a  balanced  response  to  the  objectives  set.  It  will  have  to  complement  the 
initiatives  already  under  way  with  legislative,  financial  and  political  schemes.  The  financial 
commitment required is also less than that for creating a dedicated network. For all that, the 
need to identify possible sources of financing has not been underestimated. In the longer term, 
this  work  could  lead  to  the  formation  of  a  rail  network  that  is  partially  or  even  entirely 
dedicated to freight. 

3. 

CREATING  A  EUROPEAN  FREIGHT-ORIENTED  RAIL  NETWORK:  THE  ACTIONS 
PROPOSED 

Developing  transnational  corridors  is  one  possible  approach  to  creating  a  European 
freight-oriented  network.  It  would  complement  the  process  already  under  way  for  the 
deployment of ERTMS by focusing on problems of management and operation. The corridors 
identified  would  combine  a  correctly-sized  infrastructure  with  the  implementation  of 
measures for managing and operating them. The identification and implementation effort calls 
for  action  on  the  part  of  infrastructure  managers  as  well  as  the  Member  States  and  the 
Community. It is intended to provide each corridor with a structure for running it, designed to 
manage  its  infrastructure  capacity  in  a  coordinated  manner  and  with  a  bias  towards  freight, 
giving  freight  the  priority  in  the  event  of  any  disturbance,  improve  access  to  ancillary  rail 
services and measure the performance of the service (see also Annex V, which identifies the 
issues  and  current  objectives  for  each  of  the  themes  mentioned  below).  At  this  stage  the 
Commission  intends  to  include  a  number  of  legislative  measures  mentioned  in  this  action 
programme in its proposal for recasting the first rail package, planned for 2008. 

3.1 

Creation of a freight-oriented corridor  

The  excessive  fragmentation  of  infrastructure  management,  due  to  variance  in  national 
thinking, limits the effectiveness of financial investment and the management of international 
traffic  operations.  The  initiatives  already  undertaken  in  the  framework  of  the  TEN-T 
programme  and  the  deployment  of  ERTMS  deserve  to  be  properly  monitored  and  followed 
up. The concept of corridor structures under the aegis of the Member States and infrastructure 
managers will permit much more intense coordination than today's operational infrastructure 
management, including as regards infrastructure charging, train movement and identification 
of  investment  requirements.  Corridor  structures  will  help  to  optimise  the  use  of  financial 
resources for the purposes of investment, simplify administrative and technical procedures at 
borders,  ensure  better  continuity  of  service  by  the  infrastructure  across  the  Member  States, 
and generally offer an easy-access service to international rail freight operators.  

The Commission will propose a legal definition of a freight-oriented corridor structure, 
in particular setting down the main rules applying to this type of corridor.  

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
It  will  encourage  Member  States  and  infrastructure  managers  to  create  transnational 
freight-oriented  corridors.  Each  Member  State will have to be participating in at least 
one corridor structure by 2012. 

It  will  examine  the  possible  sources  of  finance  for  corridor  structure  activities  within 
existing programmes. 

3.2 

Measure on service quality along a corridor  

Quality of service seems still to be a weak point in rail freight and customers are asking for 
more  commitment  and  transparency  in  the  area.  The  Commission  thinks  service  quality 
should  be  exemplary  throughout  the  European  freight-oriented  rail  network.  Quality 
improvement  on  this  network  should  have  a  positive  impact  on  rail  freight  in  general.  The 
quality attained on the freight-oriented corridors could ultimately become a benchmark for the 
sector in Europe. 

The Commission will, after an impact assessment, propose a legislative measure on the 
publication of quality indicators. 

Generally,  it  will  continue  to  promote  all  measures  designed  to  improve  the 
transparency of information on the quality of rail freight service. 

Before 2008 it will publish a report on steps taken by rail freight operators to improve 
their quality of service. 

3.3 

Infrastructure capacity of a corridor 

Mainly in certain central regions of the Union there is currently saturation on some sections 
along  major  freight  routes.  The  various  study  forecasts  of  rail  traffic  in  Europe  show  that 
additional bottlenecks are likely to appear and become very problematical towards 2020. This 
phenomenon,  if  not  sufficiently  resisted,  might  even  be  aggravated  by  traffic  buildup  along 
freight-oriented  corridors.  It  is,  incidentally,  possible  to  improve  the  competitiveness  of 
freight  by  increasing  the  volume  of  freight  each  train  is  able  to  carry.  This  presupposes  an 
improvement in the capacity of the infrastructure particularly in terms of train length, gauge, 
axle load and maximum speed. All this goes to show that the necessary investments will have 
to be coordinated and well targeted on freight-orientated corridors in order for the traffic in 
them to run as smoothly as possible and for rail to be more competitive. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
The  Commission  will  ask  the  corridor  structures  to  draw  up  a  programme  of 
investments  aimed  at  eliminating  bottlenecks  and  harmonising  and 
improving 
infrastructure capacity especially in terms of train length and gauge. 

It will study the advisability of extending the Community legal framework to include the 
technical characteristics with which freight-oriented corridors will have to comply. 

It  will  examine  the  possible  sources  of  finance  for  these  investments  within  existing 
programmes. 

3.4 

Allocation of train paths: more coordination and more priority to international 
freight  

At present the allocation of train paths is decided by each infrastructure manager according to 
rules  which  differ  from  one  Member  State  to  another.  These  differences  can  concern  the 
procedures for this type of allocation or the priority accorded to freight compared with other 
types of traffic. A useful solution might be to harmonise the rules for the allocation of train 
paths along each corridor and, in order to make it into a corridor that is truly freight-oriented, 
organise  the  distribution  of  its  capacity  in  such  a  way  that  freight,  especially  international 
freight,  benefits  from  efficient  and  reliable  train  paths.  This  may  require,  for  example,  joint 
planning  of  capacity  distribution  by  all  the  corridor  managers,  which  will  take  account  of 
local and national constraints on passenger traffic, while making it possible at the same time 
to  optimise  the  management  of  this  capacity  thanks  to  greater  international  coordination. 
Incidentally, to make rail freight more attractive to customers, bodies other than the railway 
operators could be authorised to request train paths on the freight-oriented network. Present 
community  legislation  already  contains  measures  concerning  these  points.  They  should  be 
made  more  specific  or  more  stringent  in  order  to  boost  coordination  between  infrastructure 
managers and improve the management of international traffic. 

The  Commission  will  propose  additional  legislation  on  the  international  allocation  of 
train paths and on the priority accorded to international freight. 

It  will  propose  enabling  authorised  applicants  to  request  train  paths  throughout  the 
freight-oriented network. 

It will encourage infrastructure managers to offer additional efficient international train 
paths and to intensify the work already started in the framework of RailNetEurope. 

It will specify the powers of the regulatory authorities in regard to international traffic 
and encourage the development of cooperation between them. 

3.5 

Priority rules applying in the case of traffic disturbance 

A number of points on the network as described in section 2 regularly reach saturation. Others 
are quite likely to do so in the next few years. For those routes on which freight will be given 
priority it will be necessary to tighten up the existing legislation on traffic prioritisation in the 
event  of  disturbance  on  the  line.  Indeed,  rail  freight  will  never  be  able  to  improve  its 
performance  and  quality  if  it  continues  to  be  handicapped  by  the  difficulties  other  types  of 
traffic can sometimes give rise to, especially near the major conurbations. If it is to do so, it 
will need to have more reliable train paths available to it. To this end the priority rules along 
the freight-oriented corridors will have to be harmonised better.  

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
The  Commission  will  propose  tightening  up  the  existing  legislation  relating  to  the 
priority of international freight in the event of disturbance of the network.  

It will ask the corridor structures and infrastructure managers concerned to harmonise 
the priority rules throughout the infrastructure under their charge. 

3.6 

Ancillary rail services (especially terminals and marshalling yards) 

Ancillary  rail  services,  and  above  all  terminals  and  marshalling  yards,  are  essential  links  in 
the modern rail freight production chain. The measures designed to coordinate and improve 
the  use  of  freight-oriented  corridors  therefore  have  to  be  complemented  by  initiatives 
favouring  the  development  of  terminal  and  marshalling  yard  capacities  throughout  the 
freight-oriented network. For this development it will be necessary to encourage investment in 
increasing terminal and marshalling yard capacities, making access to them clearer and easier 
for all the rail operators using the corridors. Particular attention will also have to be given to 
access to rail infrastructures in the ports and to their management. 

The Commission will encourage the corridor structures and infrastructure managers to 
set  up,  together  with  the  players  concerned,  an  efficient  and  appropriate  network  of 
terminals and marshalling yards.  

It  will  examine  the  possible  sources  of  finance  for  the  development  of  this  type  of 
infrastructure within existing programmes.  

It  will  look  into  the  possibility  of  additions  to  the  existing  legislation  to  improve  the 
transparency and ease of access to ancillary rail services. 

4. 

MONITORING OF THE MEASURES PROPOSED 

All  of  these  measures  will  be  examined  in  the  framework  of  structured  deliberations  in  the 
form  of  a  strategic  group,  for  example  with  representatives  of  the  Member  States  and  rail 
infrastructure managers and users. This group will have in its remit in particular to define and 
identify  the  characteristics  of  the  corridors,  to  determine  what  legislative  and  operational 
measures are required and to fix the powers and responsibilities of the corridor structures. It 
will have to have completed its work in the first half of 2008. 

The work on the deployment of ERTMS along the European rail routes on which priority is 
given to freight will continue with the encouragement of the European coordinator alongside 
the initiatives proposed in this communication. 

It  should  be  noted  that  this  communication  is  part  of  a  Commission  work  programme 
comprising  a  number  of  different  activities,  some  of  which  are  contributing  more  or  less 
directly to the emergence of a freight-oriented European rail network. They include: 

–  the legislative proposal relating to cross-acceptance of rolling stock; 

–  the initiative on reducing rail noise; 

–  consideration of the introduction of multiannual contracts between infrastructure managers 

and Member States; 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
–  the communication on an action plan for logistics in Europe; 

–  the communication on the Rail Market Monitoring Scheme (RMMS); 

–  the establishment of a European deployment plan for ERTMS; 

–  the completion of the TEN-T network including the priority projects identified in Decision 

No 884/2004/EC; 

–  the work in progress on the internalisation of external costs.  

Many of the measures proposed call for initiatives on the part of the Member States and all of 
the parties concerned in the rail sector and the success of the action plan proposed depends on 
their  joining  in  the  project  to  create  a  freight-oriented  network  and  becoming  actively 
involved  in  achieving  it.  It  also  depends  on  continuation  of  the  efforts  already  begun,  in 
particular  on  developing  technical  interoperability  and  simplifying  the  administrative  and 
technical operations at the frontiers between the Member States. Finally, the initiatives taken 
by  States,  Regions  or  other  public  or  private  players  to  develop  rail  freight  at  regional  and 
local  level  will  have  to  complement  Community  action  to  set  up  a  strong  European  rail 
network. 

EN 

11 

   EN