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23
'20
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Rail Cargo Group News
MoU to promote the DAC signed
The joined sector initiative lays the foundation for the automation and digitalization of rail freight transport in Europe. DAC enables smart capacity increase for European rail infrastructure.
In order to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal, rail freight transport plays an essential role in the European mobility system of the future. Digital Automatic Coupling is considered the unique chance to revolutionize European rail freight transport, as it is the essential element to transform railway operations management. DAC brings more capacity for shifting freight transport to rail through new technologies and innovations, thus providing a foundation for climate protection and economic growth.
With the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding, the sector aims to promote the Digital Automatic Coupling throughout Europe and fully supports the ambitions of the German Council Presidency on implementing DAC across Europe.
MoU as a decisive signal for driving the DAC throughout Europe
The sector initiative is sending the required positive signal to the council of transport ministers to get full support for the essential project to promote the DAC throughout Europe. Initiated by DB, ÖBB, SBB, the sector initiative is supported by the Rail Freight Forward members (https://www.railfreightforward.eu/) and by the sector associations CER, CIT, ERFA, FTE, UIC, UIP and VDV.
To promote the shared vision of a high-performance rail network across Europe, Infrastructure Managers, Wagon Keepers, Railway Undertakings and other sector players are invited to join this MoU. The EU DAC Delivery Programme is currently being set up under the umbrella of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (https://shift2rail.org/).
The signatories commit to the Union-wide deployment of the digital automatic coupling in the rail freight sector until 2030, subject to a sound migration plan, strong financial and deployment support by European Commission as well as Member States, which will pave the way to achieve this goal encompassing all concerned actors.
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