Another clear example of a joint commitment at European level to the railway as a key element in the decarbonisation of transport is the ‘Green Rail Investment Platform’. This platform was presented in December 2021 by the European Investment Bank (EIB) with the aim of facilitating access to financing and advice for the implementation of railway projects. In this way, this platform will facilitate public and private investment in railway projects, offering both loans and advice, as well as the financial instruments of the European Union available in Invest EU.
Ultimately, it is a clear commitment to help the sector recover from the ravages caused by the pandemic and to address the challenges of decarbonisation through the expansion of electrification and the introduction of new technologies.
With regards to the direction of investments, they may have different purposes, such as network development or network renewal and improvement, acquisition and modernisation by operators and leasing companies of rolling stock, development of intermodal transport, including terminals, rolling stock and cross-border installations and the digitalisation and automation of planning processes, both operational and commercial.
With the Green Rail Investment Platform, the EIB is taking a further step in its commitment to lower-carbon transport. The sector of the railway, metro, tram, and alternative fuels is one in which the financial institution invested 7,200 million euros in 2020, almost 10% more than in 2019.
As the EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters points out, “the railway transport will be the mode of transport that has reduced its emissions and energy consumption since 1990”. He continues: “That is why investing in the railway is an absolute priority for the EIB. And the new Green Rail Investment Platform will help the railway sector to access EU investment finance and advice more easily”.
