Brussels, 14th July 2026
🚆 Rail is already doing its part. The EU ETS should now do more for rail.
As the EU Commission prepares to revise the EU Emissions Trading System, Europe’s rail sector has a clear message: uphold the polluter pays principle and ensure a level playing field.
ALLRAIL’s Eoin Rollins says: “Rail already bears ETS costs through electricity while providing one of the cleanest forms of passenger and freight transport. It is not asking for an exemption. It is asking for a fair share of ETS revenues to be reinvested in rail.”
These revenues should help:
✅ Remove infrastructure bottlenecks and unlock capacity.
✅ Improve reliability, efficiency and attractiveness.
✅ Accelerate decarbonisation and strengthen EU competitiveness.
The main barrier to further rail growth is not a lack of demand, but insufficient infrastructure capacity.
ALLRAIL is proud to join seven other European rail associations in calling for ETS revenues to support the transport mode already delivering major climate benefits.