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Bednárik presented an initiative to promote rail freight at the Council, receiving support from othe

Bednárik presented an initiative to promote rail freight at the Council, receiving support from othe

8/6/2026Press releases

Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik presented today a Czech initiative aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of European rail freight transport at a meeting of the European Union’s Transport Council in Luxembourg. Austria, Belgium, Slovakia, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, and Romania had already joined the initiative. During the meeting in Luxembourg, delegations from Spain, Sweden, and Poland also expressed their support. The Czech Republic is thus launching a Europe-wide debate on the future of a sector that is crucial for the competitiveness of European industry, Europe’s defense capabilities, and the resilience of supply chains.
 

Bednárik presented an initiative to promote rail freight at the Council, receiving support from othe
“Years ago, Europe set itself the ambitious goal of shifting a larger share of freight transport from roads to rail. The reality, however, is the opposite. The share of rail freight transport is declining, and carriers across Europe are facing growing challenges. If we are serious about the competitiveness of European industry and the security of supply chains, we must start taking action,” said Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik. According to him, it is a positive sign that support from additional member states was secured in a single day. The Freight Transport Coalition now has 12 members. “This is not a Czech issue, nor is it a problem for just a few countries. Freight rail is the backbone of European industry and the economy. Today it has become clear that an increasing number of countries view its future as a shared priority. We want the European Commission to prepare a comprehensive strategy for the development of rail freight transport in Europe as soon as possible. Only through a common European approach can we reverse the current negative trend,” added Minister Bednárik.

The main priorities of the Czech initiative include targeted investments in freight infrastructure and terminals on the TEN-T network, ensuring sufficient capacity for freight trains on the European rail network, better coordination of cross-border closures and detour routes, support for intermodal transport, and accelerating the digitization and interoperability of the European rail network. More information here.
 
On the sidelines of the Transport Ministers’ Council meeting, Minister Bednárik also held a series of bilateral meetings with European partners. With the incoming Irish Presidency, represented by Minister Seán Canney, he discussed Ireland’s priorities in the field of transport, the future of the proposal for a regulation on clean company vehicles, and the current situation in rail freight transport.

With German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, he followed up on previous discussions regarding the Prague–Dresden high-speed rail link, including the Krušnohorský Tunnel, and the development of cross-border transport connections between the Czech Republic and Germany.

With the new Hungarian Minister Dávid Vitézy, he discussed the further development of rail transport in Central Europe, support for rail freight, and cooperation on the V4 high-speed rail link project.

During the meeting in Luxembourg, the minister also met with representatives from Austria, France, and the Netherlands.


 
 
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