In the framework of the CIT General Assembly in Bern on 15 November, Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General, was invited to deliver a keynote message and an overall vision of rail in a globalised world.

His address covered the many trends and opportunities for the rail sector in the 21st century, from corridors, to standardisation, research, education and many common projects in the various regions of UIC.

The issue of the impact on business from the digital input was also much discussed with the members, highlighting potential progress in IT, services, predicative maintenance, increase of capacity, the future of signalling, and of course the critical topic of cyber-security.

Investing in railways is not enough across the world, especially in the area of urban mobility.

The fundamental values of rail, especially its sustainable development, enables it to fulfill many of the sustainable development goals for society, and can make it a profitable backbone of a new transport mix.

Modal complementarity is the new way forward in the philosophy adopted by UIC to open, share and connect, not only among our community, but also with other modes, in a modern approach of a sustainable, integrated, connected chain of mobility.