Europe must take decisive steps to simplify and modernise its rail systems to strengthen competitiveness,...
The future of rail is now!
Rail is vital for Europe. Europe must take decisive steps to simplify and modernise its rail systems. A key move toward a more competitive, sustainable, and sovereign future.
Europe’s Rail Joint Undertakingis calling for a bold, coordinated investment strategy to simplify and modernise rail systems across the EU. This public-private partnership model – outlined in our High-Level Paper – proposes an €18 billion investment from 2028 to 2034 to strengthen European competitiveness, deliver greener transport, and drive technological sovereignty.

What will it take to make it happen?

Why rail matters?
The European rail sector is a strategic asset. It supports jobs, enables clean transport, and drives economic value. Rail is also central to achieving sustainability in transport, being the greenest and most energy efficient mass transport mode, delivering the policy objectives of a Single European Rail Area (SERA) and strengthening the Single Market. A successful rail sector is also an integral part of the Clean Industrial Deal.
Employment
2.3 million jobs supported across Europe by the rail sector
Economic impact
€143 billion contribution to EU GDP
Industrial leadership
Global leadership in railway manufacturing, design, and maintenance with the European rail supply industry providing 659,000 jobs
Trade Performance
Positive trade balance in a highly competitive global market
Sustainability
Rail is central to achieving sustainability in transport, being the greenest and most energy efficient mass transport mode
Innovation
Successful innovations through Shift2Rail and Europe’s Rail programmes
Turning vision into delivery
The technological breakthroughs developed in EU-Rail significantly enhance safety, operational efficiency and reliability of the rail system, while contributing also to cost reduction contributing to overall sustainable and green mobility. Their market application allows the European rail industry, one of the few remaining able to compete worldwide as an example of excellence, to be competitive contributing to European jobs and economy.
To maintain leadership and better serve Europe’s citizens and businesses, rail must evolve and fast. To achieve its mission of simplifying the rail system to make it more attractive, and creating the conditions for a faster and more effective and affordable deployment of innovations, the High-Level paper identifies three core objectives requiring targeted investment.
Agility
Resilience
Competitiveness
