Ten-T Days – Major political support for European digital, multi-modal and cross-border transport

Shift2Rail took part in the Ten-T Days, held on 25-27 April in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Political support for multi-modal transport and the improvement of cross-border connections were the highlights in the agenda.

The Ten-T Days event demonstrated the high level of political support for multimodality acknowledging its importance as a key driver of change in the European mobility system. “Transport is back on the political agenda. Let’s seize this opportunity and enhance the collaboration among all transport modes for a multimodal future”, said EU Commissioner for Mobility and Transport Violeta Bulc during her opening remarks.

Together with multimodality, digitalisation is fundamentally changing transport, as we know it now. Shift2Rail’s Executive Director Carlo M. Borghini, moderated a panel on ‘Transport Digitalisation’ discussing concrete new measures required to ensure a socially sustainable transition to digitalised and automated transport systems, stressing at the same time the crucial role of innovation in that process. Mr. Borghini also joined MEPs, high-level representatives of the European Commission, and the rail industry for a discussion on the progress, challenges, and opportunities of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) deployment.

Shift2Rail, with a stand at the entrance of the main conference hall, had also a unique opportunity to meet start-ups, to connect with other modes of transport, to share views on multi-modality, and to create opportunities for participation to the S2R Innovation Programme.

In the end, more than 40 European transport associations presented the Ljubljana declaration to EU Commissioner for Budget & Human Resources Günther Oettinger. “Europe needs even more cross-border transport networks to support a truly competitive economic growth”, said Mr. Oettinger, showing his support for an efficient multi-modal cross-border transport network on the continent.