EU-Rail Welcomes New Associated Members to Drive Innovation in the EU Rail Sector

Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) has selected five new Associated Members, strengthening the European rail sector’s research and innovation capabilities. Following the Call for Expression of Interest, these new members bring expertise in key technological and operational areas, fostering EU-Rail’s commitment to delivering a more competitive, digital, resilient and sustainable railway system for the benefit of the European citizens and businesses.

This selection also expands the geographical coverage of the EU-Rail programme, incorporating expertise from Austria, Portugal, Spain, and Slovenia. The newly selected Associated Members will collaborate closely with the Founding Members to ensure alignment with ongoing research and innovation activities, designing a high-performance rail system.

Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, stated: “The expansion of EU-Rail’s membership marks a significant milestone in advancing a modern, digital, and climate-resilient Single European Railway Area. By bringing together the expertise of new Associated Members with the Founding Members, we can accelerate research and innovation, paving the way for a more efficient, sustainable, and globally competitive European rail sector.”

The inclusion of these five new members strengthens EU-Rail’s capability to accelerate research and innovation for a more efficient European rail system. Their expertise will contribute to the implementation of the Multi-Annual Work Programme (MAWP) and support critical technological advancements in line with the Clean Industrial Deal, the Competitiveness Compass, the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

Giorgio Travaini, EU-Rail Executive Director, commented: “We are delighted to welcome the new Members. The EU-Rail Membership is a unique example of how the rail sector works with the EU: clients, suppliers and academia invest to research, innovate and look together at strategies towards the deployment of successful and interoperable European solutions. Their diverse expertise will be instrumental in achieving our vision of an integrated European railway network fit for the 21^st century.”

Newly Selected Associated Members:

• Acciona (Spain) – Acciona Construction S.A., a subsidiary of Acciona S.A., a European Rail Infrastructure constructor, will enhance climate adaptation strategies for the rail sector, focusing on infrastructure resilience.
• Frequentis (Austria) – a European ICT solutions provider with expertise in telecommunications, will support the ongoing development of the next European rail communication system, cybersecurity, safety-critical systems, and AI-driven predictive maintenance.
• Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) and the Alliance (Portugal) – Representing a group of Portuguese-based companies, including a European infrastructure manager, railway undertaking, supplier (including an SME), research institute and universities, this member will drive advancements in digital twins, AI-integrated sensors and edge computing for predictive maintenance, circular economy, climate resilience, among other areas.
• Kontron (Austria) – a European ICT solutions provider (Telecommunication for Railways) with their expertise in telecommunications, will contribute to the work on the next European rail communication system, as well as enhancing digital and connected onboard systems, cybersecurity and regional rail solutions.
• XLAB D.O.O. (Slovenia and Spain) – an alliance comprising a Slovenian railway undertaking and an infrastructure manager, as well as an ICT provider (SME) and one Spanish railway maintenance company, brings together railway operations, maintenance, and AI-driven IT expertise. Their contributions will focus on AI-assisted predictive maintenance, monitoring, inspection, and interventions.

For more information on Europe’s Members, please visit our website: https://rail-research.europa.eu/about-europes-rail/europes-rail-ju-members/