European Year of Rail (2021)

“Galleria di base del Brennero – Brenner Basistunnel BBT SE” approves and supports the European Commission’s proposal to establish 2021 as a “European Year of Rail“. BBT SE is on the front lines in building a European railway line that is efficient, safe and sustainable and therefore fully supports the proposal promoted by the European Commission to establish 2021 as a “European Year of Rail”; the company is ready…

The Bundesvereinigung gegen Fluglärm is a NGO, which is engaged against the negative impacts of air traffic. We appreciate this initiative of an European Year of Rail. It is important, to communicate the advantages of travel by train especially compared to air traffic.

(full version of the letter in the annex) To the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Proposal for a response to the public consultation for the 2021 European Year of Rail by the promoters of the tunnels under the Alps and of the Mediterranean and the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN-T Corridors.

Europe's national, regional and suburban railways carry 9 billion passengers every year. Transdev is an active player in the process of opening up Europe's rail markets to competition. Despite the many barriers to entry, this process of competition for tenders have brought around 20-30% savings for taxpayers, with better quality trains and a better access to sustainable mobility.

The European Green Deal must take account of the importance of rail, including in its dimension of free movement of people. It must become a reality for every citizen, including disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, without discrimination. Future investments under the European Green Deal need to take this into account.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

CAWaB - Collectif Accessibilité Wallonie-Bruxelles is a group of 21 organizations representing people with disabilities and accessibility experts in Belgium. CAWaB supports the European Year of Rail. CAWaB wants the actions that will take place on this occasion to improve the accessibility for all citizens, including the 100,000,000 Europeans who are limited in their mobility for various reasons.

Polish State Railways – PKP S.A. – warmly welcomes the proposal by the European Commission to establish 2021 as the European year of rail. We are convinced that the initiative will successfully promote rail transport in line with the objectives set out in the Communication on the European Green Deal (and accompanying legislative proposals), in particular with regard to sustainable and smart mobility and the goal to…

The Passengers’ Pulse at the Danish Consumer Council warmly supports the Commission’s proposal to declare 2021 a ‘European Year of Rail’. The climate crisis is calling for a rapid green transition of the transport sector in Europe, and rail has an important role to play.

On the 4th of March 2020, the European Commission proposed the decision to make the year 2021 “the European year of rail” [2020/0035 (COD)]. CEEP, the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services and Services of General Interest (SGIs), appreciates this proposal and welcomes the recognition of rail as sustainable mode of transport that needs more (European) support.

CERMI welcomes the European Commission proposal. A sustainable mobility strategy must be constructed with an inclusive social vision. Rail can only be promoted as a sustainable, innovative and secure mode of transport for all people if it is done in an inclusive approach, taking into account the more than 100 million persons with disabilities potentially using rail transport in the European Union.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

CERMI welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to declare 2021 ‘European Year of Rail’ . Accessible transport is a vital precondition for persons with disabilities to exercise of one of the four freedoms granted by the EU Treaties - free movement of citizens within the EU. A sustainable mobility strategy must be built with an inclusive social vision.

UNIFE – the Association of the European rail supply industry – strongly welcomes the proposal by the European Commission to establish 2021 as “the European year of rail”. We acknowledge very positively that such “European Year of Rail” would aim to promote rail transport and its supply industry in line with the objectives set out in the Communication on the European Green Deal, in particular with regard to…

The European Year of rail: make it work for mountainous regions The density of permanent population in mountainous regions is often under the EU average and some mountain areas are facing depopulation challenges, mostly resulting from the lack of attractivity and services, like in Spain or Romania.

I am very Happy to hear that 2021 could become the "year of the Rail" and that The European Green Deal calls in particular for accelerating the shift to sustainable and smart mobility, as transport accounts for a quarter of the Union’s greenhouse gas emissions, and still growing and that the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union will promote projects related to the European Year.

We would like to express our full support for the proposal of the European Commission for making the year 2021 ‘the European Year of Rail’ In the opinion of the ‘Pro Kolej’ Foundation, the decision of the European Parliament and of the Council in the above subject matter should be an element of implementation of both the European Green Deal for the European Union and emphasising the importance of rail for…

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) recognizes the importance of accessibility in enabling persons with disabilities to fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms, accessible transport and infrastructure being one of them. As a State Party to the UN CRPD, the EU has clear obligations to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are fully respected.

Dear Sir/Madam, Our own Green Deal, which aims to stimulate our students with the train to go abroad. The idea is not only triggered by the controversy Erasmus + objectives and the environment, but also because train travel makes a good contribution to the achievement of the Erasmus + objectives.

Filed in Dutch · English published by the European Commission

DITECFER congratulates for the initiative and fully supports the adoption of the EU proposal for the "European Year of Rail 2021". In a moment like this, where one of the fundamental principles of the EU - the freedom of movement of persons and goods - is limited due to COVID-19, we call for a European Year of Rail 2021 're-descovering' this benefit and the green connections between Member States railways guarantee…

UIRR supports the initiative for designating 2021 the European Year of Rail, and recommends that the European Parliament and the European Council uniformly endorses the idea. Combined Transport delivers increasing amounts of cargo for freight trains to carry at a time when demand for the shipping of classic (bulk) rail freight commodities is on a decline.

Rail passenger transport is the basic transport system in each EU country. It therefore needs to be given due consideration. The regulations and decrees in force at this time need to be updated and linked to the harmonisation of barriers in the European area, which they constantly draw attention to.

Filed in Slovak · English published by the European Commission