Rail Freight Transport

Joint Declaration on the Europe-Wide Migration of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC)

Working Together for Rail Freight 4.0: Partners driving forward the migration to DAC

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During the crisis, systemically relevant rail logistics have proven once more to be the backbone of a stable supply chain, while promoting new growth. But only if the modal split proportion of sustainable rail freight transport increases massively, the EU will be able to achieve its ambitious and appropriate climate goals in the transport sector. More freight by rail - this is rightly the guiding principle of the European Union. But for this to happen, rail logistics must be consistently digitalised and automated, to disruptively produce more flexibility, more efficiency and more trans-European routes. One of the keys to success is the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC). 2020 was a year of great progress for the DAC, in particular through the "Berlin Declaration" of European Transport Ministers. 2021 must be about continuing this momentum. The success of the DAC depends on rapidly actionable milestones and a reliable financing perspective at the EU level.

The Fédération des Industries Ferroviaires (FIF) and the Verband der Bahnindustrie in Deutschland (VDB) fully share the EU's conviction that DAC has enormous potential for smarter logistics and climate-neutral growth. In a joint statement, the railway industries of both countries jointly profess responsibility for DAC as a success story "Made in Europe". The Rail Industry stands ready to implement the EU's migration strategy ambitiously, revolutionise processes and ambitiously decarbonise Europe's logistics.

Download Joint Declaration on DAC here.

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