Audible response

EU consultation on rail network implementation

The European Commission has initiated an analysis of the implementation of a European rail network as decided in 2010 as well as opportunities to promote the development of rail freight. Danish Ports recognize many of the same challenges for increased short sea shipping, including the flexibility of market operators but also more concrete knowledge about potential cargo volumes that can be transferred from road to rail, transport patterns and examples of best practices. Danish Ports' analysis response can be read here. Purpose of the analysis: Regulation (EU) 913/2010 (RFC Regulation) concerning a European rail network for competitive freight entered into force in November 2010. According to its Article 23 the Commission has to submit a report to the European Parliament and Council examining its application. The Commission decided to extend the scope of this exercise with performing a full evaluation of this Regulation. This evaluation has also to be seen in the context of a new phase starting for the initial nine Rail Freight Corridors (the establishment of which are foreseen by the Regulation), now that they all became operational. The evaluation will be the basis to determine whether further action is needed in order to improve the policy framework. This open public consultation will ensure that any citizen as well as any stakeholder has the opportunity to provide the Commission with their views on the Rail Freight Corridors (RFCs), the RFC Regulation, its implementation and its effects. It will be an important source of input feeding the evaluation of the RFC Regulation. It also aims at completing the feedback that the Commission already received on the implementation of the Rail Freight Corridors and on its policy, by asking a wide range of questions and addressing a wide range of stakeholders and interested citizens. In the context of this evaluation, five criteria will be particularly addressed: the relevance of the Regulation (in relation to the issues which it aims to tackle), its effectiveness, its efficiency, its coherence (with EU objectives and co-existing EU transport legislation) and its EU-added value. The public consultation aims at covering these elements. Below is the Danish prioritized rail network and prioritized ports. See the Danish priority transport corridors here: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-portal/map/maps.html For further information contact Business Policy Consultant Bjarne Løf Henriksen