The EU27 transport ministers will discuss the role and challenges facing rail transport at their informal meeting in Prague on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 October.
In detail, the ministers will first start discussions on the development of high-speed rail lines, particularly in Central Europe. These discussions will also address the question of the direction of additional investment from EU funds and the inclusion of certain new links in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), in the context of its expansion to Ukraine and Moldova in particular (see EUROPE 13002/4).
The ministers will also have on their agenda the burning issue of energy prices. This topic should be raised at the lunch and the focus is expected to be on rail transport, which is particularly affected by rising energy prices.
In addition, there will be discussions on the tools available to individual hauliers and infrastructure managers to reduce energy intensity.
The transport ministers will resume their work in the afternoon, tackling ways to improve the quality and reliability of rail transport. In this context, the ministers will reportedly consider, among other things, how to eliminate technical bottlenecks, poor coordination or continuity of services across the EU.
The equally burning issues of fares, payment of compensation for delays, improving the flow of information to passengers in the event of accidents and incidents, and the purchase of international train tickets will also be on the agenda of the meeting. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)