No More Talk - Time to Deliver Ambitious High- Speed Rail Plan

The European Rail Supply Industry Association's reaction to the European Commission's ambitious High-Speed Rail Plan.

Quotes attributable to UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe

General

"The European Commission's ambitious and emphatic High-Speed Rail Plan must put Member State economies, industries and communities first."

"We support this plan and will work tirelessly with the European Commission and others to deliver on a promise that will set this continent up for long-term prosperity. Europe has a political, customs and currency union - it's time for a complete, modern transport union."

On Cybersecurity, Strategic Autonomy

"Connecting capitals and major cities EU high-speed rail will be used for passenger, freight and military applications. Non-European components should not be used in security-critical systems such as signalling, and the project must be put together and delivered by European-based industry as it is a strategic project."

"We strongly welcome the intention of the Commission to take into account risks posed by foreign State-controlled suppliers. We now need to ensure that public procurement rules are strengthened and used strategically in their upcoming review in 2026. No bidder from a country which does not have a market access agreement with the EU should be allowed to participate in such a strategic project."

On delivery and production capacity

"While we welcome more joint industry research to develop high-speed technologies an open and competitive market is vital to ensure the ramp-up of production capacity and competitive pricing. That also goes for a single set of requirements for high-speed trains - we must carefully assess how to achieve an efficient harmonised European framework, avoiding national approaches, while also giving caution to over-regulation and hampering innovation."

"Even with the large price tag, high-speed rail needs to be seen as an investment in the future of the European Union. If there is financial predictability and planning, we will ensure the industrial capacity to deliver, in particular on ERTMS® deployment."

On European Rail Traffic Management System/Signalling

"None of this is possible without investing in European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS®) - the technology that will allow a harmonised and borderless EU-wide high-speed rail network and that is recognised as of both strategic civilian and military importance. The European Commission should be empowered to ensure that Member States deliver on their ERTMS® network commitments, or this plan is just not feasible."

"We strongly welcome the announcement of a revised European deployment plan for ERTMS® in 2026, to strictly enforce ERTMS® roll-out obligations and strengthen coordination among Member States."

On elevating the Rail Supply Industry Group Expert Group on Competitiveness to the political level

"Our Industry is central to the delivery of this project and Europe's prosperity, which is why we strongly welcome and thank the European Commission's move to give UNIFE and our members a more prominent role in setting the agenda."

On Sustainable Transport Investment Plan and High-Speed Rail

"Even if the High-Speed Rail plan foresees a "High-Speed Rail Deal" in 2026 to mobilise resources across all actors, we very much regret that the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) - also published today - focuses heavily on the aviation and maritime sectors."

"The STIP announces mobilisation of at least €2.9 billion by the end of the current EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) period to help them decarbonize. But mut meanwhile, the Danish Presidency of the EU Council aims at closing a deal on the Energy Taxation Directive on 13 November 2025 and the current compromise would provide fuel tax exemptions to aviation and maritime sectors until at least 2035. There is a clear unlevel playing-field here that we cannot accept."