By Marco Raimondi | June 4 2026
EUROPE: Rail sector bodies in Brussels have reiterated their concern about the consequences for rail if the European Commission’s proposed Combined Transport Directive is abandoned. While the crux of the problem is agreeing an updated definition of combined transport, six rail associations are calling for work on the other aspects of the directive to carry on.
The European Commission announced its intention to abandon the planned Directive at the end of 2025, leaving the rail freight and intermodal sectors in shock. The EU Parliament rejected this move at the end of January, but there has been little progress since. The main bone of contention is a revised definition of CT replacing the one set out in 1992. To reenergise the legislative process, rail sector stakeholders are asking policymakers to ignore this point and go ahead with the rest of the proposal.
‘Withdrawing the CTD proposal would send the wrong political signal and delay urgently needed improvements for many more years’, a joint letter signed by trade associations ERFA, UIRR, CER, UIP, AERRL and UNIFE said on June 4. They are proposing a few actions that would still contribute to the development of combined transport. ‘This plan represents the only realistic path to avoid a policy failure that would further weaken Europe’s modal-shift and resilience ambitions’, the letter claimed.
‘Drop the definition but keep everything else’
The letter argues against allowing the CTD proposal to be dropped altogether, which would result in a political failure in the eyes of the signatories. They argue that the definition of CT can remain the one drafted in 1992, as long as the directive includes a ‘clause requiring the European Commission to present a targeted revision of the definition after five years’.
One of the most contentious points of the revised Directive concerns restrictions on heavy lorry operations. The legislation proposes introducing exemptions for trucks running as part of a combined transport chain. However, the rail trade associations reiterated that these exemptions should not apply where there are clear rail alternatives. ‘The sector stands ready to work with EU institutions’, the signatories concluded.
While the wrangling in Brussels continues, combined transport volumes in Europe are declining. The first quarter of 2026 saw a 4.92% drop in the number of consignments, according to data from UIRR. This follows a trend started towards the end of 2025 and mostly connected to widespread engineering blockades being undertaken on the German network.