High-Level Workshop on “Improving the performance of the rail sector” at Palais des Nations, Geneva on 13 November 2024

2024_TRANS_UNECE_56_Estonia.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Ref.: UNECE/2024/TRANS/56

23 September 2024

Dear Mr. Kuningas,

I have the pleasure to inform you that the Inland Transport Committee’s Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2) will hold its seventy-eighth session 13-15 November 2024 in Geneva at the Palais des Nations. During the session a High-Level Workshop on “Improving the performance of the rail sector” will be held in the Palais des Nations, Geneva from 3 p.m. on 13 November 2024.

The main objective of this Workshop is to discuss how the challenges facing the rail sector in relation to performance management and improvement, including how performance itself is managed, as well as the costs associated with this. Discussions will focus on challenging the status quo and sharing of good practices within member States and at the multinational level.

In order to make this important event a success, I am pleased to invite you to nominate a speaker for the Workshop. To provide the audience sufficient time for discussion but also to ensure intervention by as many countries/organizations as possible, I would like to request that the intervention of your representative be limited to 10 minutes. I encourage you to include in the presentation thought-provoking ideas and specific recommendations to stimulate a lively exchange and to contribute to a list of key actions for the future.

I would appreciate receiving your reply at your earliest convenience, but no later than 11 October 2024. Upon confirmation, the nominated speaker will be contacted by one of my colleagues to discuss the details regarding the program of the Workshop.

Mr. Ahti Kuningas Deputy Secretary General for Transport Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Estonia Tallinn

Page 2

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Registration information for the session is available at the bottom of the first page of the agenda (attached) and available at: https://unece.org/transport/events/sc2-working-party- rail-transport-78th-session.

The meeting will be only in-person in Geneva. If you have any questions regarding this workshop or the wider Working Party session, do not hesitate to contact Mr. Francesco Dionori, Chief of Section and Secretary to the Working Party (tel.: +41 22 917 4709, e-mail: [email protected]).

I look forward to welcoming you and your experts at our Working Party session.

Sincerely,

Dmitry Mariyasin Deputy Executive Secretary

Officer-in-Charge, Sustainable Transport Division

cc: Focal points of SC.2

E-kiri.eml

Dear Mr., Ms.,

Please find attached a letter from Mr. Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary, Officer-in-Charge, Sustainable Transport Division UNECE, to forward to your competent Ministry.

Best regards,

Yana Brynkina

UNECE - Sustainable Transport Division
Palais des Nations
8-11 Avenue de la Paix
H building, WP.30
CH- 1211 Geneva 10
Tel: + 41 22 917 24 32
[email protected]

2024_TRANS_UNECE_56_Estonia.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Ref.: UNECE/2024/TRANS/56

23 September 2024

Dear Mr. Kuningas,

I have the pleasure to inform you that the Inland Transport Committee’s Working Party on Rail Transport (SC.2) will hold its seventy-eighth session 13-15 November 2024 in Geneva at the Palais des Nations. During the session a High-Level Workshop on “Improving the performance of the rail sector” will be held in the Palais des Nations, Geneva from 3 p.m. on 13 November 2024.

The main objective of this Workshop is to discuss how the challenges facing the rail sector in relation to performance management and improvement, including how performance itself is managed, as well as the costs associated with this. Discussions will focus on challenging the status quo and sharing of good practices within member States and at the multinational level.

In order to make this important event a success, I am pleased to invite you to nominate a speaker for the Workshop. To provide the audience sufficient time for discussion but also to ensure intervention by as many countries/organizations as possible, I would like to request that the intervention of your representative be limited to 10 minutes. I encourage you to include in the presentation thought-provoking ideas and specific recommendations to stimulate a lively exchange and to contribute to a list of key actions for the future.

I would appreciate receiving your reply at your earliest convenience, but no later than 11 October 2024. Upon confirmation, the nominated speaker will be contacted by one of my colleagues to discuss the details regarding the program of the Workshop.

Mr. Ahti Kuningas Deputy Secretary General for Transport Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Estonia Tallinn

Page 2

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Registration information for the session is available at the bottom of the first page of the agenda (attached) and available at: https://unece.org/transport/events/sc2-working-party- rail-transport-78th-session.

The meeting will be only in-person in Geneva. If you have any questions regarding this workshop or the wider Working Party session, do not hesitate to contact Mr. Francesco Dionori, Chief of Section and Secretary to the Working Party (tel.: +41 22 917 4709, e-mail: [email protected]).

I look forward to welcoming you and your experts at our Working Party session.

Sincerely,

Dmitry Mariyasin Deputy Executive Secretary

Officer-in-Charge, Sustainable Transport Division

cc: Focal points of SC.2

ECE-TRANS-SC2-246e (2).pdf

GE.24-15361 (E)

Economic Commission for Europe

Inland Transport Committee

Working Party on Rail Transport

Seventy-eighth session

Geneva, 13 (pm)–15 November 2024

Item 1 of the provisional agenda

Adoption of the Provisional Agenda

Annotated Provisional Agenda for the Seventy-eighth session*, **

to be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Salle XXIV

starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 13 November 2024

I. Provisional agenda

1. Adoption of the Provisional Agenda.

2. Workshop: “Improving the performance of the rail sector”.

3. Towards Unified Railway Law in the Pan-European Region and

Euro-Asian Transport Corridors.

4. European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines.

5. The Revision Committee of the Model Rules for the Permanent Identification of

Railway Rolling Stock.

6. Passenger Information in Stations and Hubs.

7. Euro-Asian Rail Transport.

8. Trans-European Railway Project.

9. Railway Financing and Public-Private Partnerships.

* For reasons of economy, delegates are requested to bring copies of all relevant documents to the

session. Documentation will not be available in the conference room. Before the session, documents

may be downloaded from the website https://unece.org/info/Transport/Rail-Transport/events/392597.

On an exceptional basis, documents may also be obtained by email ([email protected]). ** Participation is possible only in person. Delegates are requested to register online at the following

address: https://indico.un.org/event/1007287. Upon arrival at the Palais des Nations, delegates should

present their digital badge at the UNOG Security and Safety Section, located at the Pregny Gate

Pavillon (14, Avenue de la Paix), opened on weekdays from 8.00 a.m. to 4.45 p.m. In case of

difficulty, please contact the secretariat by telephone (+41 22 917 2432) or by email ([email protected]).

For a map of the Palais des Nations and other useful information, see website:

www.unece.org/meetings/practical.html.

United Nations ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

Economic and Social Council Distr.: General

27 August 2024

Original: English

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

2

10. Rail Security.

11. Innovation in Rail Transport.

12. Productivity in Rail Transport.

13. Climate Change and Rail Transport.

14. Railway Reform and Review.

15. Facilitation of International Rail Transport in the Pan-European Region.

(a) Facilitation of Rail Border Crossings;

(b) Harmonization of Technical Specifications on Different Railway Systems.

16. Rail Statistics.

17. Improving Safety in Rail Transport.

18. Activities of the Inland Transport Committee and its Subsidiary Bodies.

19. Activities of the European Commission in Rail Transport.

20. Activities of International Organizations in Rail Transport.

21. Other Business.

22. Date and Venue of the Next Session.

23. Adoption of Decisions and Report.

II. Annotations

1. Adoption of the Provisional Agenda

The first item to be considered is the adoption of the draft agenda.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

2. Workshop: “Improving the performance of the rail sector”

The Working Party may wish to consider the workshop on “Improving the performance of

the rail sector”. For the railways to grow and increase their market share, both for passenger

and freight, the performance of the sector needs to improve in terms of economic

performance as well as the quality and reliability of services. This workshop aims to discuss

the challenges slowing down the railways as well as gathering best practice examples of

efforts in the passenger and freight sectors to improve performance. Member States,

associations and the rail sector will be invited to intervene and share their experiences on

developments in this area.

3. Towards Unified Railway Law in the Pan-European Region and

on Euro-Asian Transport Corridors

The Working Party may wish to recall that at its seventy-seventh session, it adopted the

Convention on the contract for international carriage of goods by rail as a first Convention in

a system of Unified Railway Law Conventions. The Convention was open for signature on

12 January 2024. The Working Party may wish to be informed on the status of the Convention

and the dissemination activities of the secretariat.

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

3

The Working Party may also wish to consider possible options for next steps in Unified

Railway Law, considering options for possible work on the next Convention. On this, the

Working Party may wish to consider document ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/2 collecting

previous discussions on this topic within the Group of Experts on Unified Railway Law.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/2

4. European Agreement on Main International Railway Lines

The Working Party may wish to be informed by the secretariat about its activities to increase

the number of contracting parties to the European Agreement on Main International Railway

Lines (AGC). Detailed information on the AGC, including the up-to-date and consolidated

text of the agreement (ECE/TRANS/63/Rev.4),1 a map of the AGC network, an inventory of

compliance with AGC standards, information on the background, benefits and accession

requirements for AGC (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2020/2) and the relevant Depositary

Notifications are available on the website of the Working Party.

The Working Party may also wish to be informed about the notification of changes to the

AGC agreed at previous session of the Working Party (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/11,

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/12 and ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/13) and notified to the depository

in New York as well as new amendment proposals (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/3 and

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/11).

The Working Party will be updated on the joint AGC-AGTC online tool on technical

parameters for operation on the E-Rail network.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/63/Rev.4, C.N.83.2024.TREATIES-XI.C.3, C.N.84.2024.TREATIES-

XI.C.3.a, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/3, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/11

5. The Revision Committee to the Model Rules for the Permanent

Identification of Railway Rolling Stock

The Working Party may wish to recall that, at its seventy-seventh session a summary was

provided of the inaugural session of the Revisions Committee to the Model Rules on the

Permanent Identification of Railway Rolling Stock following the adoption of the Model

Rules as the sixtieth legal instrument under the purview of the Inland Transport Committee

(ITC). The Working Party, at its last session adopted changes to the Model Rules as set out

in ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/3. The Working Party may wish to be updated about the results

of the second session of the Revision Committee to the Model Rules. In particular, the

Working Party may wish to consider document ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/4 containing an

amendment proposal to the Model Rules. The Working Party may also wish to review the

draft Terms of Reference for an informal group of experts, proposed by the Revisions

Committee, on digital aspects related to the Permanent Identification of Railway Rolling

Stock (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/12).

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/4, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/12

6. Passenger Information in Stations and Hubs

The Working Party may recall that at its seventy-seventh session it agreed the terms of

reference for a new Group of Experts on passenger information in stations and hubs (INFO)

as set out in ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/6. These terms of reference were subsequently adopted

by ITC at its eighty-sixth session and subsequently by the Executive Committee of UNECE.

1 www.unece.org/trans/main/sc2/sc2_AGC_text.html.

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

4

The Working Party may wish to discuss the outcomes of the first session of the new INFO

Group of Experts (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/INFO/2024/2).

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/6, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/INFO/2024/2

7. Euro-Asian Rail Transport

The Working Party may wish to recall that at its seventy-third session in 2019 a workshop

was held on: “Making rail freight more competitive and the coordinated development of the

rail network with a focus on how to work together at the government and sectoral levels on

EATL”. Following the seventy-third session, a summary publication was prepared by the

secretariat and is available on the Working Party’s webpage.

The Working Party may wish to be informed about and discuss new developments on Euro-

Asian rail transport corridors, including work on corridor development and coordination.

Following the decision of the Working Party at its seventy-second session, the Working Party

may wish to be informed about developments in the Eurasian Rail Alliance Index.

8. Trans-European Railway Project

The Working Party will be informed by the project manager of the Trans-European Railway

(TER) project about the activities of 2024: the concrete results, the plan for subsequent years

and the efforts to increase the number of participating countries. A written report (in English

only) of the activities of TER can be found in Informal document WP.5 (2024) No. 2.

The Working Party may wish to review the results and consider how to further support and

contribute to the TER project.

9. Railway Financing and Public-Private Partnerships

The Working Party may wish to be informed about developments in railway financing and

public-private partnerships in railways including the results of the “Workshop on the role of

PPPs in the financing of investment in railways” held within the framework of the Revisions

Committee on the Model Rules for the Permanent Identification of Railway Rolling Stock.

10. Rail Security

The Working Party may wish to be informed about developments in rail security, including

updates on the Rail Security Observatory and the ongoing collaboration with the International

Union of Railways (UIC) on security matters. In particular, the Working Party may wish to

be informed about the joint UNECE-UIC workshop on vulnerable rail users (with a focus on

combatting human trafficking on the railways and the security of women on the railways)

held within the Special Session of the Working Party on Rail Transport, 18-19 June 2024

(ECE/TRANS/245). In this framework, the Working Party may wish to consider documents

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/5 and ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/9 setting out a way forward for this

joint work including through the setting up of an informal expert group on combatting human

trafficking on the railways.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/245, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/5, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/9

11. Innovation in Rail Transport

In line with the ECE road map for promoting the use of Intelligent Transport Systems, the

Working Party continues work in this area.

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

5

The Working Party may wish to recall that it agreed to the creation of a rail innovation

observatory aimed at sharing with member States best practice innovations that could further

help develop the competitiveness of the railways. The aim is to assist in achieving the

Sustainable Development Goals and work towards the achievement of the technology pillar

of the ITC strategy. The Working Party may wish to be updated on the observatory.

12. Productivity in Rail Transport

The Working Party may wish to recall that, at its last session, it requested that the secretariat

prepare an updated questionnaire for the rail productivity work considering additional

sources of information and alternative approaches. The Working Party may wish to consider

document ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/6 setting out the proposed questionnaire and the

modalities for gathering the necessary data.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/6

13. Climate Change and Rail Transport

The Working Party will be updated on the new ITC Strategy on Climate Change and how the

work of the Working Party continues to be central to achieving the goals within it. The

Working Party may wish to consider document ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/7 on this subject.

Under this agenda item, the Working Party may recall that at its seventy-seventh session it

discussed energy efficiency in the railways and in particular document

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2023/10. The Working Party asked that further information is gathered

on this subject. Document ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/8 provides the questionnaire to be filled

for this purpose. The Working Party may wish to comment on this document before it is sent

to stakeholders for compilation.

The Working Party will also be updated on other work of ITC in this area including the Group

of Experts on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for Transport Networks and Nodes,

on climate change mitigation and the For Future Inland Transport Systems tool and on green

logistics, eco-scoring and related matters.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/7, ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/8

14. Railway Reform and Review

The Working Party may wish to be informed about the developments on railway reform and

developments in the sector, building on the workshop held at the seventy-first session of the

Working Party. The Working Party may also recall that at its last session it held a Workshop

on “The Future of International Rail Passenger Transport”. A summary of this workshop is

provided in ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/10.

Documentation

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/2024/10

15. Facilitation of International Rail Transport in the Pan-European

Region

(a) Facilitation of Rail Border Crossings

The Working Party may wish to be informed about developments in annex 9 to the

Harmonization Convention on facilitating rail border crossings in the pan-European region.

The Working Party may also wish to return to the discussion at the seventy-sixth session of

SC.2 on the results of the questionnaire on annex 9 of the Harmonization Convention.

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

6

Member States may also wish to share best practices in implementing the Harmonization

Convention at the session.

(b) Harmonization of Technical Specifications on Different Railway Systems

The Working Party may wish to be informed by the Organization for Cooperation between

Railways (OSJD) and/or the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) about

improvements in the 1,435 mm and the 1,520 mm broad gauge railway systems, and about

the results of the work of the OSJD/ERA Working Group on Interoperability.

16. Rail Statistics

The Working Party may wish to be informed about the ongoing work in rail statistics and its

relevance to the Working Party, in particular, about the work of the Working Party on

Transport Statistics (WP.6).

17. Improving Safety in Rail Transport

The Working Party may wish to recall that at its seventy-second session, it had decided to

widen the scope to safety at level crossings to cover all relevant areas of rail safety. The

Working Party may wish to be informed about developments in this area.

In line with discussions at the seventy-third session of SC.2, the Working Party may also

wish to discuss developments related to the Code of Practice on the Packing of Cargo

Transport Units administered by the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics

(WP.24). In particular the joint SC.2-WP.24 session on the CTU Code to be held 16-17

December 2024.

18. Activities of the Inland Transport Committee and its Subsidiary Bodies

The Working Party will be informed about activities of ITC, its Bureau, subsidiary bodies

and other United Nations organizations on matters of interest to the Working Party in addition

to the new Climate Change Strategy that has already been discussed under agenda item 13.

The Working Party will also be informed about the progress and take-up of the Inland

Transport and Trade Connectivity eLearning Platform – LearnITC.

19. Activities of the European Commission in Rail Transport

In line with standard practice, the Working Party may wish to be informed about recent

activities and plans for the future work of the European Commission (DG Move) in rail

transport.

20. Activities of International Organizations in Rail Transport

The Working Party may wish to be informed about recent activities and plans for the future

work of other international organizations and stakeholders in the field of rail transport.

21. Other business

The Working Party may wish to discuss other business.

22. Date and Venue of the Next Session

The next session of the Working Party is tentatively scheduled to be held from 12 to 14

November 2025 in Geneva.

ECE/TRANS/SC.2/246

7

23. Adoption of Decisions and Report

In accordance with the decision of the Working Party (ECE/TRANS/SC.2/190, paragraph 6)

and established practice, the Chair will briefly summarize the decisions at the end of the

session. If time allows, the report of the session will also be reviewed and adopted, if not,

following the session, the Chair and Vice-Chair, in cooperation with the secretary, will draft

a report on the outcome of the session for transmission to ITC.

III. Tentative Timetable

Wednesday, 13 November 3-6 p.m. Items 1 and 2

Thursday, 14 November 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Items 3-8

3-6 p.m. Items 9-15

Friday, 15 November 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Items 16-20

3-6 p.m. Items 21-23