ÖBB Annual Report 2023

Group Management Report 56 Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 11 Freight transport days were organised in several federal states in cooperation with local stakeholders as part of a priority area. Workshops with companies highlighted the opportunities and possibilities of a general shift to rail transport and discussed the implementation of the Waste Management Act (AWG). At the same time, joint funding programmes – for example for connecting railways – were evaluated with the relevant regional authorities. ÖBB also made a point last year with a kick-off event for industrial and commercial shippers. The aim was to strengthen the customs corridor between the port of Trieste and the Logistik Center Austria Süd (LCAS) in Villach / Fürnitz after the start of pilot operations in December 2022. ÖBB was able to secure the budget for single wagon transport aid (SWL) for Hungary for 2023 at international level. In addition, a CEF submission was prepared for the improvement of the infrastructure approx. the Zahony and Chop terminals. Modernisation boost needed for Europe’s rail network Both the increasing number of rail passengers throughout Europe and the binding climate targets are forcing the nation states to modernise their respective rail networks quickly. The positive medium- and long-term effects of this railway expansion are offset by the short-term restrictions – especially in cross-border traffic due to roadworks. Besides the international coordination of national construction activities, the debate on the long-term and thus reliably plannable financing of railway infrastructure also took centre stage. Austria is a role model here with its framework plans, which ensure a six-year planning and financing period for infrastructure projects. A role that the company has gladly taken on both in the European Railway Association (CER) and at bilateral meetings in direct dialogue. Guidelines for Public Service Obligation (PSO): Compulsory tendering or continue with direct awards? A further focus of the work at international level last year was the amendment of the PSO guidelines by the EU Commission. The European Commission (EC) pursued the goal of massively restricting the room for manoeuvre of public contracting authorities and only allowing direct awards of transport services in exceptional cases. As an attempt to counteract this approach, Austria launched an information and lobbying campaign in Austria and Brussels. ÖBB was joined in the campaign by the Chamber of Labour (AK), the Austrian Railways Association in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Wiener Linien and the Association of Public Economy and Public Service (VÖWG). An alliance of European railway companies has also been forged at international level with the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), trade unions and municipal companies. Stakeholders repeatedly expressed their concerns about the draft guidelines – not least by means of legal opinions. Most recently, in May 2023 – under the leadership of Austria – a total of eleven Member States issued a critical opinion to the EC. The EC’s PSO guidelines published in the middle of the year ultimately did not provide any meaningful clarification on the PSO Regulation and are “considered to be non-binding, impractical recommendations”. Communication work on the part of ÖBB and the aforementioned alliance partners therefore continued unabated in the second half of 2023. Additional topic management at international level Since February 2020, ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä has chaired the European Railway Confederation CER. At their Annual General Meeting in September 2023, the members confirmed Andreas Matthä as President of CER for a further two-year term of office (2024 to 2025). The third term of office at the head of the association took place on the unanimous recommendation of the CER Management Board and with a unanimous vote at the General Assembly. One international focus of effort in 2023 was therefore once again on managing the substantive content of the association’s work. This again included setting lobbying priorities with EU institutions and coordinating the positions of the approx. 70 European railway companies that are members of the association. The main focus of the content-related work of the Railways Association CER was the preparation of various position papers, for example on the issues of “Ticketing”, “Train Path Planning” (TTR) and “Digital Capacity Management” as well as “Construction Site Coordination”. At the beginning of 2023, the revision of the plans for the European transport network (TEN-T revision) was central to the employees’ activities. More than 1,800 amendments needed to be scrutinised and active lobbying undertaken for our business interests in the European Parliament. At the beginning of the year, the EC presented its 2023 work programme and – as part of the Green Deal – the long-awaited Green Freight Transport Package, which aims to significantly reduce transport emissions. The employees prepared position papers on both topics and held personal stakeholder discussions with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and representatives of the EC. | MR11