Summary of Apostolos Tzitzikostas’ speech at the European Railway Award ceremony:
”Rail is experiencing a true renaissance in Europe. This is driven by a shared ambition to make it more competitive, sustainable and interconnected. With strong support at the highest EU levels, rail freight is central to key initiatives shaping the future of European transport. The sector is moving fast to modernize by enhancing crossborder connections and accelerating digitalisation and automation. To help both passengers and freight operators, upcoming proposals will boost high-speed networks, simplify multilingual driver certification and streamline digital ticketing. The deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) will improve safety, efficiency and interoperability across the continent. Military mobility also underscores the strategic importance of rail, with over 500 infrastructure projects identified. As market liberalisation takes root, early results show more competition, lower costs and increased ridership. These are lessons that can be adapted to freight. Yet challenges remain: from funding and infrastructure gaps to the need for standardised rolling stock and wider DAC deployment.” – Apostolos Tzitzikostas (European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism)
The time to act is now. The Commission is calling on the rail sector to seize this momentum, drive innovation and make freight by rail the backbone of a greener, more resilient European economy. Let’s shape the future of rail freight, together.
