Events

Events

ERFA presents at the annual meeting of European rail regulators - The needs of rail customers
  • 24
  • Nov
  • 2017

ERFA presents at the annual meeting of European rail regulators - The needs of rail customers

ERFA presents at the annual meeting of European rail regulators plenary on the needs of rail customers. A competitive environment is key to fostering the right conditions to meet customer needs. Healthy competition does not exist in most Member States.       

ERFA Strategy Day 2017
  • 17
  • Nov
  • 2017

ERFA Strategy Day 2017

ERFA held its annual strategy day with members on 15th November in Brussels. The unfriendly business environment for rail freight and weak state of the industry were the key themes and in particular the failure of rail to make any significant gains from modal shift was highlighted as a key symptom of weak competition in the market.

ERFA's presentation at the first annual IRG-Rail Forum
  • 19
  • Sep
  • 2017

ERFA's presentation at the first annual IRG-Rail Forum

At the first annual IRG Rail Forum ERFA gave an overview of the Rail Freight Corridors from a freight RUs perspective. The concerns of RUs were presented, highlighting the lack of joint agreement on performance indicators among IMs; the limited coordination on infrastructure works and investments and the lack of provision of appropriate alternatives during TCRs. All the efforts made in the past could be for nothing if the RFCs do not make significant progress in performance.                                                                            

1st RU-PRIME Dialogue Meeting
  • 31
  • Mar
  • 2017

1st RU-PRIME Dialogue Meeting

The joint dialogue between the Railway Undertakings (RU), the Infrastructure Managers (PRIME) fora took place on the 28th March in Brussels. Chaired by the European Commission, the objective was to discuss several issues in order to find a common understanding and common solutions to addressed them. ERFA and ERFA members actively participated to the discussions.

ERFA General Assembly Meeting
  • 12
  • Mar
  • 2017

ERFA General Assembly Meeting

The ERFA General Assembly Meeting took place on the 7th March in Brussels. This event was an opportunity to discuss political and technical issues with ERFA members and to collect their inputs and concerns. As a market orientated driver, ERFA relies on the contribution of its members to define its strategy and priorities. On the same day, Lindsay Durham (Freightliner Group) has been elected ERFA President. Markus Vaerst (Cargo Rail Europe) has been appointed as ERFA Vice-President.

ERFA Annual Event 2017
  • 12
  • Mar
  • 2017

ERFA Annual Event 2017

ERFA held its Annual event on the 7th March in Brussels, with Gert-Jan Koopman, EU Commission’s Deputy Director General for State Aid at DG Competition. The event was dedicated to the actions needed to deliver further market opening in Europe. Rail newcomers are often frustrated in their efforts to set up new routes and offer new types of services.

Workshop on 'Rail Freight Digitalisation'  Business Case : Road-Rail Combined Transport
  • 14
  • Dec
  • 2016

Workshop on 'Rail Freight Digitalisation' Business Case : Road-Rail Combined Transport

On December 14th 2016 ERFA together with UIRR (Combined Transport Association) welcomed nearly 40 participants to the Workshop on "Rail Freight Digitalization". 8 speakers provided valuable "food for thought" regarding different digital solutions, covering all aspects of rail freight transportation including interfaces to infrastructure managers, terminals and the customers.

Paying the freight: Europe's transportation challenges
  • 04
  • Nov
  • 2016

Paying the freight: Europe's transportation challenges

Markus Vaerst, on the behalf of ERFA, participates to the 2016 European Paper Recycling Conference in Rotterdam. He gave a presentation on the state of play of rail freight in Europe and how to improve its attractiveness for customers.  

ERFA commits to ERTMS Deployment
  • 21
  • Sep
  • 2016

ERFA commits to ERTMS Deployment

ERFA co-signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the deployment of ERTMS with other stakeholders and Violeta Bulc, European Commissionner for Transport, at Innotrans on the 21st September. 

The General Contract of Use for Wagons is celebrating 10 years of success
  • 23
  • Jun
  • 2016

The General Contract of Use for Wagons is celebrating 10 years of success

In 2006, following the liberalisation of the rail freight market, ERFA, UIP and UIC created the General Contract of Use for Wagons. It is a multilateral single contract between those operating wagons and those owning wagons. It specifyies the mutual rights and obligations in order to allow cross-border activities. A very good example of simple, but effective solutions, which the rail sector is able to develop when it cooperates. In other words, a success.      

Railway Sector Declaration on Boosting International Rail Freight
  • 21
  • Jun
  • 2016

Railway Sector Declaration on Boosting International Rail Freight

The rail sector and its customers presented a declaration at the TEN-T Days in Rotterdam, committing themselves to the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of the Rail Freight Corridors for the benefit of all customers, and to improving the quality, reliability and efficiency of transporting goods by rail across Europe. 

More EU budget for Transport
  • 13
  • Jun
  • 2016

More EU budget for Transport

The Transport sector is mobilised to urge European institutions to dedicate more EU funds to transport in order to complete the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T). More EU Budget for Transport is the Best Investment Plan for Europe.