The Regional Assembly Europe (RAE), which took place on 7 December in Paris under the Chairmanship of G. Pepy, Chairman SNCF, approved an operational budget for 2012 that, despite a number of inflationary increases, takes account of the economic situation impacting a number of our members and therefore remains unchanged compared to 2011. It was also noted that in fact the volume of research/technical projects being run by the UIC Forums and Platforms is decreasing whilst the number of research projects that are part of the co-funded EU Framework programme is growing.
The RAE approved the enlargement of its European Management Committee (EMC) from 12 to 15 members so as to be better representative of the 120 regional members; it also approved the composition of a new EMC for a 2 year mandate starting on 1 January 2012.
The names of the members of the EMC are as follows:
- Chairman: Guillaume Pepy, SNCF President
- 1st Vice-Chairman: Rüdiger Grube, CEO President
- 2nd Vice-Chairman: Mauro Moretti, CEO FS SpA & Chairman CER
- 3rd Vice-Chairman: Hubert du Mesnil, RFF President & Chairman EIM
Members:
- Roger Cobbe, Director Europe ATOC
- Bernard Guillelmon, CEO BLS
- Christian Kern, CEO ÖBB
- José Salmao Coelho Benoliel, CEO CP
- Ferenc Szarvas, CEO MAV
- Antoine Hurel, Deputy DG VEOLIA
- Luis Fernando Lopez Ruiz, Director General ADIF
- Hubert du Mesnil, RFF President
- Gunnar Malm, Director General Trafikverket
- Vladimir Yakunin, RZD President
- Maria Wasiak, CEO PKP
The Task Force, made up of members that had been considering the issues of project management and the concept of Essential projects, presented their conclusions. The RAE approved, for a trial period, an improved financing process for the projects, known as “Option 1”. This will enable the Forums and Platforms to develop projects and that those they consider as essential can be put into the process for due consideration.
RAE also requested the Europe team to take the necessary steps in conjunction with UNIFE, CER and EIM to better represent the rail sector vis-à-vis the European Commission and ERRAC. Concerning ERRAC, UIC will, from April 2012, hold the vice-chairmanship via Mr Doherty and will ensure the provision of the secretariat. Developing ERRAC is essential as the supply industry’s proposal for a Joint Technology Initiative will rely on ERRAC to provide strategic advice on future sector research needs.
Finally it approved the involvement of UIC, via the CTG, in the EU standardisation process and especially the possible role in the future in a revised European standardisation framework.
