Europe is considering leaving combined transport out of its 2026 agenda
Author: Irene Liñán | Original article in Spanish
28.10.2025 | The rail industry attributes the decision to a lack of progress in negotiations with the board, but considers this decision "a mistake".
The European Commission is considering withdrawing amendments to the Combined Transport Directive from its work program already approved for 2026. The document, consolidated and publicly presented last week, outlines this intention in Annex IV, under the heading 'Withdrawals,' referring to the list of pending legislative proposals that the Commission intends to withdraw within six months. According to the European body, this measure is being taken “in accordance with the interinstitutional agreement on better legislation and taking into account the position of the co-legislators.” Thus, Europe “intends to withdraw those proposals whose adoption is no longer in the general interest due to their adoption date, the lack of progress in the legislative process , the potential burden, and a lack of alignment with the priorities of the European Union” (EU).
Among the legislation that would fall into this category is the proposed directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 92/106/EEC as regards a support framework for intermodal freight transport and Regulation (EU) 2020/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the calculation of external cost savings and the generation of aggregated data—the technical name for the combined transport moratorium, which until now has been one of the European Commission's flagship initiatives for the sustainability of freight transport. In fact, this directive falls under what Brussels has dubbed the new plan for sustainable prosperity and competitiveness in Europe. This designation also appears in the annex itself, which lists the regulations that are to be eliminated.
The International Combined Transport Union (UIRR) was the first to raise the alarm about these intentions, recalling that the Combined Transport Directive was presented as part of the package of measures for greening freight transport in November 2023 , less than two years ago. The organization says it regrets this intention and states that neither it nor any other representative body of the combined transport community has received any consultation from the European Commission. The UIRR further points out that the European Parliament study, prepared at the request of rapporteur Flavio Tosi, was finalized less than 15 days ago. “The European Parliament was about to begin working on the proposed amendment based on this study,” the rail union protests.
“A long-term perspective is needed, and an opportunity must be given,” said Ralf-Charley Schultze, Director General of the UIRR.
“I would like to encourage the Commission to reconsider its idea of withdrawing the proposed amendment to the Combined Transport Directive,” urged UIRR Director General Ralf-Charley Schultze. “A long-term perspective is needed, and the European Parliament rapporteur and the TRAN Committee should be given a chance,” referring to the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism. Therefore, the UIRR Director General called on the European Commission “not to rigidly implement” the 2026 work program. The Combined Transport Union points out that this solution is the main option for integrating rail and inland waterway freight transport into European supply chains and the engine of growth for European rail freight, and, as such, is currently facing a difficult situation. It is worth remembering that Europe has been stalled for more than two years, not only in its implementation but even in its very definition.
“The directive, as it is currently structured, is completely unacceptable,” said Juan Diego Pedrero, President of the AEFP.
“ There’s a huge problem with the directive, and that’s the definition ,” says Juan Diego Pedrero, president of the Association of Private Railway Companies (AEFP). He points out that this definition depends on each country’s understanding of intermodal and combined transport, taking into account the specific geographical characteristics of each member state, including Spain. This makes “the directive, as it stands now, completely untenable.” Although Pedrero admits he doesn’t know the specific terms the European Commission intends to remove from its 2026 work agenda, nor the reasons for “the haste” in making this decision, he assures that the scope of this measure will be known “sometime this week.” “I imagine it has to do with an attempt to accommodate the requirements of different countries, which is what the European Commission always aims for,” Pedrero explains.
In this regard, it should not be forgotten that recently, the southern European member states have been the most vocal in their opposition to the rigid conditions Brussels imposes on compliance with certain aspects of this legislation. This contrasts sharply, in the sector's view, with the current intention to summarily dismiss the amendments to the regulations, which, it should be remembered, were proposed by the European Commission itself as part of the process to implement the moratorium. Therefore, the president of the Union of Intermodal Transport Operators (UOTC), Antonio Pérez Millán, emphasizes the "seriousness of this error" and announces that the organization will convey this to the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, hoping that it will pass the message on to the European Commission.
“The proposals aren’t well-received, so perhaps they’ve considered approaching it differently, or waiting,” said Antonio Pérez Millán, President of UOTC.
In any case, Pérez Millán points out, “this doesn't mean that combined transport ceases to be one of the solutions” to the challenge of freight transport in Europe, and he leans more towards the theory that modifying the directive is causing the European Commission too many headaches, very much in line with the widely sought-after but never agreed-upon definition. “One of the main problems with the definition of combined transport is that sooner or later, the intention was to provide some kind of support, financial aid, or operating advantage to combined transport compared to standard transport,” Pérez Millán recalls. The problem is that defining what is and isn't combined transport requires a minimum quorum that currently doesn't exist . “The proposals aren't well-received; they've already tried a couple of times, and nobody can quite reach an agreement, so perhaps they've considered approaching it differently, or even shelving it and waiting.”
Representatives of the European and international rail industry emphasize that daily rail operations face current crises and challenges that demand immediate attention as a top priority, with particular focus on infrastructure capacity. “The unprecedented underperformance of rail infrastructure, insufficient terminal capacity in several European regions, the lack of a minimum service guarantee, and shortcomings in digitalization are hindering its efficiency,” notes the UIRR (International Union of Rail Freight Carriers). These are problems, they assert, that will not be resolved simply by a revised Combined Transport Directive or a revised Weights and Dimensions Directive. “However, intermodal freight transport, as a mode of transport in its own right, requires comprehensive legislation,” the UIRR points out.
The European association for combined transport has already indicated that, with this regulation in place, overcoming current barriers would take several years, during which time digitalization will progress naturally. Therefore, the UIRR hopes that, in the long term, “the revised Combined Transport Directive will be integrated into a regulatory framework that allows for the efficient operation of combined transport throughout Europe.” From UOTC, Antonio Pérez Millán believes that, currently, there may be other more pressing priorities on the European Commission's agenda, “whether it's the war in Ukraine, geopolitics, Russia, Trump, or whatever else”; and that is why the strategy is currently focused on other factors. This does not change the fact that this Spanish association believes it is a mistake to let this issue languish. “We are radically opposed to shelving it until a more opportune moment,” Pérez Millán maintains.
NEW PRIORITIES: “THE MOMENT FOR EUROPE’S INDEPENDENCE”
The focus of the European Commission’s new working document for 2026 is entirely centered on building a more sovereign and independent EU, as the Commission itself acknowledges. This document addresses current and future challenges stemming from threats “to our security and democracy, geopolitical conflicts and tensions, risks to our economy and industry, and the acceleration of climate change.” Furthermore, the European executive asserts that the new pillars of its policy will redouble efforts in what are “the Commission’s current fundamental priorities,” with the aim of strengthening competitiveness, leading clean and digital innovation, consolidating our unique social model, and guaranteeing collective security, as stated by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“We will continue to work closely with the European Parliament and the Council to deliver on Europe’s priorities, boost competitiveness, harness the potential of our single market, simplify our rules, and address the affordability crisis. Together, we will protect our citizens and defend our values,” the President stated during the document’s presentation. Among the key areas of focus is strengthening Europe’s strategic industrial base through a new industrial acceleration rule aimed at increasing Europe’s resilience in the supply of critical raw materials . This will be achieved through the creation of a Critical Raw Materials Hub. Brussels will also prioritize defense and security by improving cooperation with strategic partners, combating organized crime, defending against drones, and protecting democracy and the rule of law, among other social priorities.