Senior representatives from railway companies, partner organisations, and the UIC headquarters convened in Prague on 31 March 2026 for the European Management Committee (EMC) meeting of UIC.
Hosted by Správa železnic in the historic Fanta Hall of Prague Main Station, the meeting marked the first session under the renewed governance following the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Europe Region in December.
The session was chaired by Stefano Donnarumma, Chairman of the UIC Europe Region and CEO of FS Italiane, alongside UIC Director General François Davenne and UIC Director Europe Sandra Géhénot.
A central focus of the meeting was the presentation of the strategic orientations for the 2026–2027 mandate. The EMC reaffirmed its repositioning as the key strategic body for the European region, responsible for defining mandates, shaping roadmaps, and aligning collective direction across stakeholders.
The immediate priorities for the coming period are:
- Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS)
- Railway Ontologies
- Capacity and Operational Performance
Discussions highlighted the growing strategic importance of railway ontologies, particularly in enabling interoperability and coherence across increasingly complex systems. Participants emphasised that ontologies will play a critical role in supporting emerging technologies such as digital twins and artificial intelligence, both of which depend on consistent and structured data frameworks.
The meeting also featured a preview of the study “Financing and Delivery Models for High-Speed Infrastructure,” conducted by UIC with the support of Professor Juan Montero (FSI). The study outlines three financing models and assesses their implications for scaling high-speed rail development across Europe.
As Stefano Donnarumma noted, “delivering high-speed rail at scale will require mobilising additional sources of third-party capital alongside public funding. He stressed the importance of establishing financing frameworks that are credible, predictable, and attractive to long-term investors, while preserving system coherence and public control”.
The Prague meeting marks a significant step in aligning the European rail sector around shared priorities, reinforcing the EMC’s role as a strategic platform for collaboration and innovation.
