European rail suppliers urge EU checks on foreign rail tech
UNIFE, the association representing Europe’s rail supply industry, is urging the European Commission to apply new EU cybersecurity and supply-chain tools to rail technology used on critical infrastructure.
The call comes as the debate over Chinese rail technology in Europe is sharpening. In several countries, non-European suppliers are increasingly discussed as a way to work around delivery bottlenecks.
UNIFE argues that rail systems are part of Europe’s critical transport infrastructure. It wants EU-level screening and restrictions on what it calls “unsuitable non-EU technology” in rail, including alerts and constraints for suppliers deemed high-risk.
What the industry group is asking the Commission to do
UNIFE points to the Commission’s new cybersecurity package and its proposed revision of the EU Cybersecurity Act. In its statement, UNIFE says the draft would give the Commission powers to designate “high-risk” third countries and ICT vendors and introduce restrictions for critical sectors — including rail.
Beyond cybersecurity tools, UNIFE wants EU to treat rail as a strategic sector. It argues that EU and member-state funding should be channelled into projects that benefit European economies and industry as rail systems become more digitalised.
Why it matters: European suppliers are under pressure on delivery times. In Austria, Spain and Hungary, the debate has already surfaced in practical terms: when fleets need renewal quickly, policymakers and operators start looking at China, which can offer faster delivery at a competitive price.
The system signal: UNIFE’s intervention is an attempt to shift the debate back to rail as critical infrastructure — where the question is not only “how fast?”, but whether embedded non-EU technologies create dependencies and cyber risk that the EU should be able to screen and, if necessary, restrict.
You can find the full statement here