The European Rail Supply Industries Association (UNIFE) has highlighted the necessity for a €3 billion ($3.83 billion) commitment to establish a specialized Railway Research Program as part of the next EU budget.
The objective of this investment is to help the European rail supply sector keep its technological supremacy as global competition intensifies.
The UNIFE director general, Enno Wiebe, highlighted the possible advantages for Europeans and their enterprises, noting that improvements in railway technology will revolutionize transportation and cargo transit throughout the region.
The objective of this investment is to create a replacement for Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking under the upcoming European Research Framework Programme ( FP10 or an equivalent initiative ).
This initiative is part of the European Commission's forthcoming proposals for the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
The emphasis will be on advancing novel technologies while expanding upon previous developments from the present Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking initiatives such as the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), and Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC).
These improvements are anticipated to boost services for both travelers and cargo, improve the consistency of Europe’s railway system, and ease international journeys.
Moreover, these technological advancements are expected to facilitate the transition from road to rail for freight transportation.
This investment is likewise viewed as a step to bolster European railway capacities, taking into account the present worldwide supply chain difficulties.
Wiebe stated: "We are in the lead — but we must remain at the forefront. The railway technology from Europe meets high standards of quality and safety. Given that railways serve as essential infrastructure, it’s crucial for European-based firms to develop advanced technologies and deploy them globally."
In addition to their research and innovation program, UNIFE intends to suggest a preliminary deployment plan aimed at easing the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like FRMCS, DAC, Automatic Train Operations (ATO), and ERTMS into various railway systems throughout the European Union.
These advancements, stemming from the earlier Shift2Rail initiative, are likewise cited in the Draghi Report on EU Competitiveness as crucial components for boosting productivity across the European Union’s economic landscape.
The deployment of these technologies is essential for the successful execution of upcoming High-Speed Rail initiatives linking major European cities, establishing the Single European Railway Area (SERA), and finalizing the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
Additionally, this investment supports Europe’s goals of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, aiming for a 90% decrease in transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Recently, the International Union of Railways, known as Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer (UIC), initiated the FP2-MORANE-2 project , designed to evaluate the FRMCS technology in actual operating environments.
In her role as the Project Coordinator for FP2-MORANE-2, the UIC oversees a coalition comprising UNIFE alongside several railway companies and providers like ADIF, BaneDanmark, Network Rail, Alstom, CAF, Ericsson, Eviden, Hitachi Rail, KPN, and Telia.
"UNIFE calls for a $3.8 billion investment in R&D to boost railway tech advancement across Europe," as initially crafted and shared by UNIFE. Railway Technology , a Massimaowned brand.
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