UIP 58th Management Report 2007

At the dawn of 2007, declared “Rail Freight Year” by the EU, all rail freight transport was opened to competition. The Office of the Chairman of the Council was very optimistic on the future of rail freight transport, forecasting a 40% increase by 2010. A third rail package and a rail freight action plan were also announced. This incited Vice-Chairman Barrot at the beginning of 2007 to require the sector as a whole to arrive at a wide-scale transfer of transport to rail. Did last year meet this pressing expectation ? As far as the facts are concerned, rail freight transport is in full boom. In view of the favourable transport situation, the UIP member firms can count on very full order books. Freight wagons are becoming an increasingly rare commodity.