Berlin, 23 September 2024
The main challenges for European rail transport and mobility in general were the focus of the meeting of the European Management Committee (EMC) of the Union Internationale des Chemins de Fer, chaired for the first time by Stefano Donnarumma, CEO and General Manager of the FS Group.
The meeting took place in Berlin on the eve of InnoTrans, the leading international trade fair for transport technology, held from 24-27 September.
“I am pleased to have chaired the 1st UIC European Management Committee meeting of my Chairmanship, here at InnoTrans in Berlin. Together with the major European leaders in the sector, we addressed the main challenges facing European rail transport and the broader mobility landscape: first and foremost, the safety of people and of the infrastructure on which citizens move, because there is no development without safeguards. Economic growth can only be achieved if it is guaranteed by concurrent economic, financial, social and environmental sustainability. For this reason, we are therefore committed to shaping the future of transportation for a zero-carbon world, by improving the positioning of rail transport and strengthening its crucial role in sustainable mobility,” commented CEO and General Manager of the FS Italiane Group, Stefano Donnarumma.
The UIC European Management Committee addressed a number of core issues as defined in the 2024-2025 Action Plan, in particular Digital Twin technology, FRMCS and “Ticketing”, the ticket sales system within the European Union.
Digital Twin technology undoubtedly represents a major breakthrough for the industry, as it offers several advantages in terms of efficiency, cost reduction and maintenance support. The suggestions made by the FS-guided group of experts were approved and have kick-started an ambitious three-year programme, which will focus on governance, the setting of shared standards and coordination with other modes of transport.
The discussion on FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System) technology focused on the tests that will be carried out soon. The Morane 2 programme brings together all players in the industry as well as the railway ecosystem, and will unfold over a 30-month period, during which the technology will be tested on both conventional and high-speed railway lines.
Special guests at the meeting were some representatives of the CTO Council.They illustrated the progress being made on the transition to FRMCS to ensure compatibility with the ETCS system.
The meeting also confirmed the industry's aim to provide an action plan on the internal European Union ticket sales system called Ticketing, and outlined its distribution operations to be implemented by 2025.
Under this action plan, the railways continue to work to ensure that the OSDM, a key support developed by the UIC in cooperation with its members, is recognised at European level as a decisive factor for passengers. This will make it possible to offer an EU-wide ticket sales system adapted to the needs of businesses and customers and open to all passenger mobility operators.