RAIL LOGISTICS INSTITUTE MEETS
On 18 December, CLECAT’s Rail Logistics Institute met to exchange views on developments in rail freight in Europe. A presentation was received from Joost Naessens, Director Transport and Logistics of the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), which provided industry perspectives on current challenges and priorities for rail and combined transport.
In his intervention, Mr Naessens underlined the importance of approaching rail freight from a shipper-centric perspective, stressing that shippers must be regarded as clients whose operational requirements determine modal choice. He emphasised that improving reliability, punctuality and overall service performance, supported by real-time information and transparent planning, is critical for rail to become a competitive and trusted option within integrated supply chains.
Members also discussed the Military Mobility Package and legislative files under the Greening Freight Package. Members welcomed several elements of the Military Mobility Package, including the move towards harmonised cross-border procedures, the digitalisation of permit processes and the establishment of the European Military Mobility Enhanced Response System (EMERS) to support rapid decision-making in crisis situations. The focus on strategic dual-use infrastructure and the use of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding is also positively received, in line with CLECAT’s call for corridor-based investment across rail, road, ports and terminals.
The Institute also took note of the political agreement reached on the Rail Capacity Regulation. While this was seen as a step forward, discussions underlined that its effectiveness will largely depend on ambitious and consistent implementation at national level, as Member States retain significant control over key capacity-related decisions. The meeting further addressed the possible withdrawal of the Combined Transport Directive, as announced by the Commission in its 2026 Work Programme. There is concern that, should the proposal be withdrawn, no new legislative initiative is foreseen and the Commission will continue to support implementation of the current 30-year-old Directive.