ÖBB Annual Report 2025

Group Management Report 48 Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 5 Memberships Like all companies in Austria, ÖBB is obliged to be a member of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. In addition, it has voluntary memberships in interest groups and specialist organizations at both Austrian and international level. For example, the Federation of Austrian Industries, the Austrian Association for Public and Social Economy (VÖWG), ZOVI (Project Office for the Future Initiative in Transportation and Infrastructure), the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the International Union of Railways (UIC). All memberships can be viewed in an internal Group database. New memberships undergo a screening process (antitrust law, compliance verification, risk assessment, etc.) and must be approved by the Executive Board concerned without exception. Managing topics at international level Until the end of 2025, ÖBB’s European policy work was dominated by CEO Andreas Matthä’s chairmanship of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER). His three terms as Chair in the period from 2020 to 2025 were characterized by the following priorities. The focus was on infrastructure financing and European corridor management as well as the demand for fair competition between rail and road freight transport. Another thematic focal point was his commitment to the promotion, and greater European harmonization, of key digital technologies such as the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), Digital Capacity Management (DCM) and Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC). At the end of his – already exceptional – third term of office, Andreas Matthä handed over the CER chairmanship to his successor Alain Beroud, CEO of the Polish state railroad PKP, in December 2025. In some areas, significant improvements in European legal aspects were achieved by strongly positioning the concerns of the rail sector. This applies in particular to European passenger rights and the Capacity Regulation. This is intended to make the future capacity and traffic management of infrastructure operators on European corridors cross-border and significantly more efficient. In freight transport, the key topics were the discussion on the pending new guidelines for state funding for land and multimodal transport. The open revision of the directives on combined transport and the maximum permissible dimensions and weights of road vehicles were also discussed. In 2025, the entire European policy process was characterized primarily by the discussion on the scope and priorities of the EU’s multiannual financial framework for the years 2028 to 2034. ÖBB’s contribution to this discussion included the presentation of a financial policy essay by ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä and economist Christian Helmenstein (Economica Institute) entitled “Laying Tracks for Growth: European Railway Infrastructure as Strategic Investment” in the European Parliament. In July 2025, the EU Commission finally presented its proposal for the future multiannual financial framework with a clear focus on Europe’s comprehensive security and defense capability. In terms of crisis resilience and military mobility, particular attention was also paid to investment programs and funding opportunities for the European rail system and, in particular, cross-border railway infrastructure projects. This can be seen as a significant lobbying success for the CER as part of the planning process for the financial framework. In addition to its commitment to a positive European legal framework, ÖBB continued its international efforts to optimize international rail freight transport between Europe and Asia. The dialog with stakeholders in the areas of infrastructure, transport policy and industry in the countries along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) from China via Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to Turkey was continued. In particular, cooperation with the state railway (KTZ) and transport policy stakeholders in Kazakhstan was expanded and intensified. For example, reciprocal high-level delegation visits and several internal ÖBB workshops and training courses on occupational safety and operational management issues were held for KTZ expert delegations. The long-standing cooperation with the Ukrainian state railroad Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) was also intensified. At the beginning of April 2025, ÖBB CEO Matthä paid a delegation visit to Kyiv. In addition, a workshop and training program for Ukrainian railway staff was developed as part of a cooperation project between the World Bank, BMF and ÖBB. | MR5