Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking

Overview

• Role: Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) aims to deliver, via an integrated system approach, a high-capacity, flexible, multimodal, sustainable, reliable and integrated EU railway network for European passengers and cargo.
• Executive Director ad interim: Giorgio Travaini
• Partners: the EU (represented by the Commission) and member companies
• Established in: 2021 (Shift2Rail, its predecessor, was established in 2014)
• Number of staff: 29
• Location: Brussels, Belgium
• Website: Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking

EU-Rail is the European partnership for rail research and innovation under the Horizon Europe programme (2020-2027) and the successor to the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking. 

This partnership aims to accelerate research and development in innovative technologies and operational solutions. It supports EU policies and objectives for the rail sector, its competitiveness, and the European rail supply industry. EU-Rail accelerates the use of integrated, interoperable and standardised technological innovations necessary to support the Single European Railway Area.
 

What it does

EU-Rail aims to deliver a high-capacity integrated European railway network by eliminating barriers to interoperability, providing solutions for full integration (covering traffic management, vehicles, infrastructure and services), and achieving faster uptake and deployment of innovation through funded projects. It promotes digitalisation and automation to reduce costs for the rail industry, increase capacity, and strengthen flexibility and reliability. Its work is based on a functional system architecture shared by the sector, in coordination with the EU Agency for Railways.

The European rail system should also be integrated into the wider transport system. EU-Rail supports the development of a strong and globally competitive rail industry. 

EU-Rail's objectives are set to address EU policy objectives, its vision for the rail industry, and the challenges inherent in transforming the rail system.

The EU-Rail partnership seeks to ensure a fast transition to a European rail system that: 

• meets changing customer requirements
• improves performance and capacity
• reduces costs
• contributes to a more sustainable transport
• provides a harmonised approach to adapting to change in the industry 
• provides a stronger role for rail in European transport and travel
• contributes to a more competitive EU rail supply industry 

Who benefits

• Passengers
• Freight customers
• Transport companies 
• Infrastructure management companies
• Rail supply industry

Further information

Calls for proposals

Calls for tenders

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