Topic: UIP

Regulatory controversy Data of the week: A review of the European and Swiss approaches to wheel safety

About two months ago, the Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) indicated that it would stick to its own version of wagon wheel safety rules…
MORE POWER TO THE RAILWAY UNDERTAKINGS What changes with the updated General Contract for the Use of Wagons?

The General Contract for the Use of Wagons (CGU) was updated at the beginning of 2026, making some procedures more efficient and less time consuming.…
Not yet an end to the saga Wagon owners protest as Switzerland breaks with JNS safety rules

Despite approving a joint European wagon safety rules decision, the Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) keeps going its own regulatory way. Switzerland informed its…
COUNCIL ADOPTS GENERAL APPROACH Weights and Dimensions Directive to have ‘damaging impact’ on EU rail freight

The European Council has adopted a general approach on the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD), further decreasing the hopes of the rail freight sector for…
DIGITAL AUTOMATIC COUPLING Large scale DAC tests to start in 2027

The deployment of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) will take a significant step forward in 2027, when “large-scale commercial testing with trains operating in real-world conditions”…
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? EU’s new ‘broken wheel’ regulations to be ready by year’s end

One of the most controversial topics in the European rail freight sector is the introduction of new rules and requirements for wheels in the aftermath…
LEGAL BATTLE AHEAD? ‘Major companies’ to take Switzerland to court over new wheels rules

The Swiss decision to introduce new freight wagon wheels requirements contradicts “the Principle of Interoperability under the EU-Switzerland Land Transport Agreement”, according to the International…
Industry backlash Switzerland’s “rogue” rules endanger European rail freight

The Swiss Federal Office for Transport (FOT) has introduced new safety rules relating to the wheels of freight wagons. Despite good intentions, the new rules…
Ten rail associations ask the EU Commission to postpone TSI revision

The European Commission (EC) is planning another extensive revision of the package of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) in 2026/2027. However, ten European rail…
File: Greening Freight Package EU sets frail foundations for intermodal transport’s future

The European Commission’s proposal to amend the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) concerning commercial road vehicles presents some problematic points. The railway sector is concerned…
analysis European Vehicle Register: upgrade or bust?

The rail industry in Europe is asking to make the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) the registration entity in the context of the European…
Do EU transport ministers hear the railway sector’s pleas?

The informal meeting of the Eu transport ministers on Friday, 21 October, could produce some palpable energy measures for the railway sector. The energy, and…