EU transport ministers call for rail industry strategy

The ministers want a strategic approach for the rail supply industry modelled on the automotive action plan and the maritime industrial strategy, and tougher procurement rules against distorted competition and non-reciprocal conditions; the call is political, and no Commission decision has been taken yet.

At the Transport Council on 8 June 2026 transport ministers called on the European Commission to present a comprehensive European strategy for the rail industry and to reform public procurement; Austria led the initiative, backed by Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Romania, while Spain separately put the sector's competitiveness at the centre. The Council discussion stressed that a fair and reliable framework matters for transport sovereignty, the resilience of critical infrastructure and strategic autonomy, and that procurement rules must prevent unfair competition through distorting practices, unequal access or a lack of reciprocity. Industry association UNIFE (director general Enno Wiebe) welcomes the move and warns against risky suppliers from outside the EU for sensitive technology; the public procurement act was at that time expected on 1 July (LOK Report, 8 Jun 2026).