On the 19th of November, negotiators of the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Rail Capacity Regulation proposal, which the Commission initially tabled in July 2023 as part of the Greening Freight Package.
The agreed text aims at harmonising, simplifying and rationalising the management of capacity on the European Union’s rail network, focussing both on national and cross-border transport. The text introduces a longer term planning of train services beyond annual working timetables, while granting more flexibility for operators to add additional train services at short notice.
Mr. Thomas Danielsen, Danish Minister of Transport, said:
“This agreement aims to contribute to a more efficient use of Europe’s rail infrastructure through harmonisation of capacity management, more efficient allocation processes, and a strengthened cross-border cooperation.”
The agreement also foresees an enhanced role for European Network of Infrastructure Managers (ENIM) to coordinate cross-border capacity and traffic, while reinforcing the role of railway undertakings in capacity-related decision making processes.
To achieve a maximum utilisation of the available capacity on railway networks, penalties are introduced for railway undertakings and infrastructure managers in case of non-compliance with commitments with respect to allocated train paths.
EP rapporteur Ms. Tilly Metz (Greens, Luxembourg) commented the following on the agreement:
“Today we reached a historic agreement for the rail sector. By making better use of the railway infrastructure, this Regulation will allow for more trains on the network, without major investments. Better planning and coordination will facilitate cross-border train traffic, which is particularly important for the rail freight sector that currently faces huge challenges. In addition, passenger tickets will be able to go on sale earlier than today.”
