Funding of European Rail Infrastructure

Michael Clausecker

UNIFE Director-General

1. Rail investments in Central and Eastern Europe

UNIFE Objectives

• Overall objective: Transform funds in turnover for our industries

• Sub-objectives: Maximum absorption of the funds allocated to the new Member

States Maximum share of rail investments among the modes of transport Increase the size of tenders to make them more attractive for our

members

Strategy and achievements

UNIFE actions:

1. Internal work – Objectives: gather and exchange information (funds available, spending situation, problems)

– special UNIFE working group on rail investments in Central and Eastern Europe; involvement of UNIFE UNIRAILINFRA and National Associations Committees; co-operation with CER;

– new database of major transport infrastructure projects

2. Work with the EU institutions (in particular DG Regio) – Objectives: improve internal co-ordination at the Commission; improve financing; increase pressure on the Member States

3. Work with the Member States (in particular Transport Ministries, Infrastructure Managers and local stakeholders) – Objectives: increase awareness about problems encountered by the industry, improve the investment process.

4. Work with stakeholders – Obejctives: train stakeholders and exchange best practices in order to improve project development, management and implementation : Joint UNIFE-Commission-RBF Seminar on the Implementation of Rail Infrastructure Projects in new EU Member States in July 2007

UNIFE database on rail projects in Central and Eastern EuropeContents:

• Compilation of the indicative lists of projects of the Transport Operational Programmes of the CEECs

• Information on length, financing, timeframe, scope (new/modernisation/upgrading), type (main line/light rail/regional passenger transport/rolling stock/signalling), speed and other details

Limits:• Official information, but not concrete projects• Major projects mentioned in the OP can be sliced into a lot of smaller projectsNext steps : • Objective: include concrete projects in the pipeline, contracts awarded, distribution of

the projects over the period

Next steps and projects:

• Training for DG Regio officials on ERTMS• Seminar on Rail Investments in Central and Eastern Europe in December

2008 in Romania In cooperation with AIF and the European Commission Financed by TAIEX (technical assistance information exchange unit) Workshop topics: overview of regional aid for transport for the 2007-2013

period; financing (EU funds, EIB loans, PPPs); public procurement; project development; project implementation; best practices (turnkey, high-speed, cross-border cooperation); ERTMS

Targeted attendance: representatives from the Transport ministries of the new Member States, from the infrastructure managers, from the rail supply industry

• Development of the database (pending demand of information to CER)• Meetings with Ministries of Transport in the new Member States to be

scheduled

Next steps

2. Trans-European Networks - Transport

Trans-European Networks – Transport

• On 21 November 2007, the European Commission issued its proposal for the selection of projects to be financed by TEN-T funds for the period 2007-2013, which was then approved by the Member States.

• Total amount of applications for funding: € 11.5 bn exceeds by far the budget dedicated to TEN-T priority projects (about € 5,301 m, including Galileo).

• Rail transport is granted the lion’s share in the Commission’s proposal: out of a total budget of € 6,811 m for the multi-annual programme 2007-2013, € 272 m are granted for ERTMS deployment and € 5,111 m for priority projects, excluding Galileo. Out of these €5,111 m available for priority projects, 74.2% of the money is awarded to rail projects.

Loan Guarantee Instrument for TEN-T projects (LGTT)

• On 11.1.2008, the European Commission and the EIB launched the Loan Guarantee Instrument for trans-European transport network projects

• The LGTT aims at facilitating greater participation of the private sector in the financing of transport infrastructure especially where there is a high level of revenue risk in the early operational period of a project

• The LGTT will partially cover this risk. The capital contribution of €1 billion (€500 million each from the Commission and the EIB) is intended to support up to €20 billion of total capital investment.

3. ERTMS

ERTMS

Recent developments (1):

Signature of a new ERTMS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

• Aim of the MoU: agree on commitments from both the European Commission and the railway associations (UNIFE, UIC, CER, EIM) to expand ERTMS

• Commission issued a first draft for a new MoU in April 2008 Final drafts are currently discussed

• Finalisation expected very soon (signature likely in June/July)

Recent developments (2):

EU ERTMS Deployment Plan

The Commission intends to develop an ERTMS EU Deployment Plan, to force Member States to further invest in ERTMS

ERTMS

ERTMS Deployment by 2012 ERTMS Deployment by 2020 (Source: EC)

ERTMS

Recent developments (3):

EU ERTMS Deployment Plan

Current Status Advantages of having a binding plan are obvious for the industry: binding

deployment plan=more investment in ERTMS UNIFE responded to a Commission consultation on the ERTMS deployment plan

in January 2008 Commission took on board our recommendations and will now develop a “Binding

ERTMS European Deployment Plan based on a target deployment rate” Next steps, Commission currently discussing details of the future plans with the

Member States. Proposal to be released at a later stage.

4. Role of Innovation & Harmonisation in European Rail infrastructure

Innovation & Harmonisation through Research & Development• INNOTRACK project (2006-2009)

The primary objective is to achieve a reduction in LCC of 30% and improved RAMS parameters.

The project is currently in its initial stages of LCC evaluation; indications are that the 30% target will be achieved – a crucial area in reaching this target is in the contractor led Logistics.

There is a strong potential to develop an agreed European wide standard for the evaluation of LCC and definition of RAMS.

It is a “first of its kind” project in bringing together the Industry and Railway Undertakings in pursuing ambitious targets.

• Other cooperative European funded infrastructure projects Urban Track (2006-2010) – urban orientated infrastructure project aimed

at reducing maintenance & renewal costs through innovative track forms and methods with the overall objective to achieve LCC reductions of 25%.

A number of future projects focused on cost effective infrastructure are envisaged; it is clearly a priority area of the European Commission and contractors will be instrumental in these initiatives.

Innovation & Harmonisation

Innovation & Harmonisation

‘Interoperability’ stimulating investments in infrastructureMarket opening

Of fundamental importance to Industry; put simply: that the same product or process can be employed in a number of countries (ultimately Europe wide). Market opening encourages competition and allows new entrants into markets previously inaccessible.

Cross-border operation Of greater importance to Operators than Industry but still very

positive in terms of growth in international rail traffic.

3 ‘avenues’ of Interoperability ERTMS TSIs – Technical Specifications for Interoperability;

- technical regulations which are enforceable anddeveloped as a result of Interoperability directive

Voluntary standardisation initiatives

Interoperability = market opening & increased investment