The autumn session of the UIC Passenger forum started with the SC (Steering Committee) meeting on 5 November 2007. The Passenger SC meets four times a year to discuss the strategy and the budget for the next period, and prepare the next forum plenary and workshop sessions. This body is lead by the chairwoman of the PF, Cécile Queille, from SNCF and the Director of the UIC RU Department, Oliver Sellnick.

A pivotal topic at this meeting was the new Internal Regulation of the PF and it was decided to make some material changes in the governance structure of this group for example enhancing the amount of participants in the SC.

The Passenger Forum plenary which was held the day after had a very large attendance and the representatives from the RUs were updated on the on-going UIC activities that will have an impact on the Passenger business. The main topics were:

– the recently adopted 3rd railway package including the PRR (Passenger Rights Regulation). This document, which will apply from the autumn 2009 dictates an adaptation of the current UIC compensation scheme in the event of train delays.

– the TAP (Telematics Applications for Passengers) TSI, UIC has decided to bolster the position of the railway sector with nomination of Ugo Dell’Arciprete, Chairman of the UIC DSSG (Distribution & Systems Study Group) as an official represent at the TAP TSI working groups. Thereby ensuring the necessary link between the UIC with its expertise, and the other stakeholders.

– Merits/Prifis (UIC timetable and price data bases), this activity having been transferred from a Special Group to the PF as of this meeting. A new MoU has also been signed which will enable an increase in data quality and usage of the databases.

– and further updates were given on:

–  the work of the UIC Energy efficiency network, including an update on the projects currently run by the UIC Environment and Sustainability platform such as Energy Billing, Railenergy, HyRail and Trainer;

–  the European Performance Regime a project which aims to improve the punctuality of international trains. UIC and the RUS have increased their involvement in the project thereby ensuring that the project matches the needs of the RUs.
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–  the latest developments of the UIC Security Platform,

–  the newly set up UIC SMG (Stations Managers’ Group), with a focus on the preparation work for the 2nd Next Station conference in December 2007 in Paris,

–  a feasibility study on gauge change, for which support by the Passenger RUs is needed, and

–  the project e-train which is a project aimed at identifying the on-board telecommunication needs of the RUs.