UIP at 75: Wagon Keepers Outline Strategic Priorities for a Digital, Integrated Rail Freight Future

At UIP’s 75th anniversary summit in Valencia, Europe’s top wagon keepers, operators, and policy leaders laid out an ambitious agenda: 30% market share, full digitalisation, and a connected, competitive logistics system fit for the next era.

The International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP) is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2025 with a clear mission: position rail freight as the backbone of sustainable European logistics. Representing over 250,000 private freight wagons, UIP members manage more than half of the European wagon fleet and invest EUR 2 billion annually in rolling stock.

As European policymakers push to decarbonise supply chains, wagon keepers – as the sector’s main private investors – are demanding a stronger role in shaping logistics reforms. UIP’s published Strategic Priorities for 2024–2029 make clear that the path to 30% modal share for rail freight requires a combination of private commitment and targeted public action.

Building a Digitally Integrated Freight System

UIP’s vision for 2030 centres on creating a "digital, automated, and connected system", enabled through joint investment by the industry and public sector. Rail freight, they argue, is the most energy- and CO₂-efficient transport mode, and its integration into multimodal supply chains is essential to reduce emissions across Europe.

Key actions include:

• Enhancing the multimodal integration of rail freight into urban nodes, ports, and last-mile infrastructure.
• Accelerating the digital transformation of rail freight through smart infrastructure and IT-based customer services.
• Promoting complementarity and interoperability between road and rail, with standards ensuring seamless interchange of containers and semi-trailers.

UIP points out the importance of building interoperability not just through hardware, but through regulatory harmonisation and capacity management reform, especially for cross-border services – where more than 50% of freight flows encounter at least one national boundary.

Turning Sustainability into Market Advantage

A major theme of the 2024–2029 programme is making sustainability a competitive edge. UIP calls for policy mechanisms that reward environmentally responsible logistics choices – such as combined transport, State aid for multimodal terminals, and allowing longer or heavier trucks only for rail-compatible uses.

UIP also identifies digital automatic coupling (DAC) as the most transformative technology for the sector. DAC enables faster shunting, automatic brake testing, and full data connectivity, enhancing safety and efficiency across the rail system. UIP advocates for urgent DAC rollout, backed by dedicated EU funding instruments.

Despite their key role, UIP argues that public sector incentives often disproportionately benefit publicly owned operators. The union is calling for a more balanced regulatory environment that supports private wagon keepers’ investments and reflects their systemic contribution to European mobility. "Public investment must not crowd out or disadvantage private capital, especially where innovation and efficiency gains are at stake," the strategy notes. The group urges Brussels to ensure policy symmetry across different types of rail freight actors.

A European Campaign for Interoperable, Competitive Rail

The UIP strategy also functions as a policy campaign targeting national ministries, EU institutions, and logistics regulators. Key demands include:

• Binding rules for capacity management and infrastructure access
• Technical compatibility between transport modes
• EU-wide deployment plans for DAC and digital logistics

UIP insists that the next phase of growth depends not just on investment, but on a cohesive European framework. It calls for stronger dialogue between public authorities and private stakeholders to realise the Single European Railway Area in full.

UIP: From Venice to Valencia

Founded in 1949, the International Union of Wagon Keepers is the umbrella organisation for private freight wagon keepers in Europe, advocating for regulatory balance, interoperability, and efficient infrastructure use. UIP’s core activities include policy coordination, market representation, and strategic planning with its member associations.

UIP summits are held annually in key rail logistics cities – past editions have taken place in Vienna, Nice, and Venice. In 2025, the union celebrated its 75th anniversary in Valencia, with the Keepers Summit hosted by Spanish partner FAPROVE, in the presence of European rail leaders including Gilles Peterhans (UIP Secretary General), Jörg Nowaczyk (GATX), and Mathias Knüpling (VTG).

Sources: UIP; RAILTARGET