ÖBB Annual Report 2023

57 Group Management Report MR12 | Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 12 The Green Deal Steering Group set up within the company processed the current environmental and energy dossiers (e.g. energy, taxation, pesticide regulation) throughout 2023. There were also new dossiers on the issues of “digitalisation” and “data management”. The steering group analysed the position of the European Parliament and the Council on the EU regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases. The second half of 2023 centred on the Commission’s proposal for “improved international ticketing”. In its key points, the welcome initiative presented, for example, the access of platforms to the sales channels of railway companies, but also made aware of a certain risk potential. In ÖBB’s view, for example, there is a risk that the railway companies will lose the ability to design their own products and thus ultimately also their tariff sovereignty in the name of better service for customers. This is an issue that – as it has not yet been finalised – will continue to challenge employees for some time to come. In the second half of 2023, the team also worked on the planned EU regulation on European capacity and traffic management, the EU’s “Weights and Dimensions”-Directive and the consultations on the restriction of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). The proposal regarding capacity and traffic management was a Green Deal measure. The aim is to enable more efficient railway infrastructure capacity and traffic management and thus improve the quality of transport services and handle more traffic on the railway network. The centralisation in a new EU agency that was originally on the cards was averted. ÖBB’s interests in train path planning are now being pursued via the TTR, the Timetabling-Redesign-for-Smart-Capacity-Management and in construction site coordination via the European Railway Association CER. The “Weights and Dimensions” Directive in turn provides for an extension of the maximum weights and dimensions of heavy goods vehicles. In ÖBB’s view, this would further intensify competition between rail and road in freight transport to the disadvantage of rail. Ongoing lobbying in Austria and Brussels is intended to prevent the possible use of gigaliners or long trucks in the future as a result of this directive. PFAS are industrial chemicals with water, grease and dirt-repellent properties that are used throughout the entire railway system – from the air conditioning systems in vehicles to signalling systems. ÖBB has therefore advocated a cautious approach in the consultations to date in order to avoid excessive requirements for the replacement or exchange of PFAS parts and will continue to pursue this cost-efficient approach. B.3. Market environment GRI 2-6 ENTWICKLUNGEN DES MA KTUMFELDS – ÜBERBLICK Freight transport Passenger transport Increased competition from road Sustainable increase the aviation industry European-wide slump combined transport Expanding offerings by open access providers Line closures important transit routes Modal shares again at pre-corona levels Economic effects Downturn in demand Capacity management challenges in long-distance rail- transport