| Draft: | Shifting Europe's Transport Infrastructure Towards Sustainability and Justice: The European Rail Network at the Centre |
|---|---|
| Party: | PROGRESĪVIE |
| Status: | Published |
| Tabled: | 18/11/2025, 16:01 |
| Tag: | Political |
massively expanded. Lisbon has lost
its direct train connection to Madrid and the broader European network.
In light of the current geopolitical context in Europe and lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, the rail network must be recognized as critical security infrastructure. It ensures the movement of military logistics, civilian evacuation and supply continuity during crises, and must be fully integrated into the EU’s defense and mobility strategy. From the EU security perspective, it is very important to develop it and understand its importance.
Gathered in Lisbon, a city with little to no train connection to the rest of
Europe, we Greens are acutely aware of the urgent need to place rail transport
at the centre of Europe’s mobility strategy. The Portuguese example demonstrates
the urgency of this need. Since the 1990s, significant portions of the country´s
rail network have been de-activated, while roads and highways have been
massively expanded. Lisbon has lost
its direct train connection to Madrid and the broader European network.
In light of the current geopolitical context in Europe and lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, the rail network must be recognized as critical security infrastructure. It ensures the movement of military logistics, civilian evacuation and supply continuity during crises, and must be fully integrated into the EU’s defense and mobility strategy. From the EU security perspective, it is very important to develop it and understand its importance.
Across Europe, there are many similar stories. Public transport and rail
networks have been dismantled and left to decay due to underinvestment and
privatisation. Night trains have been discontinued or left without improvements,
reducing alternatives to short-haul flights.
Meanwhile, airports and roads keep expanding. Projects such as the expansion of
Barcelona and Heathrow airports, the port of Valencia, and new motorways in
Belgium contradict the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy, and the
EU’s climate commitments. Europe’s infrastructure model still depends
excessively on cars and planes, while trains — the most reliable, sustainable,
and socially equitable mode of transport — remain underfunded and
underdeveloped, leading to decreased quality and safety. According to a 2023
Greenpeace report, Europe’s rail network shrunk by 6.5% over the past 30 years,
while motorways grew by over 60%.
The Greens call for a radical shift in European infrastructure policy, placing
rail at the heart of European mobility and the green transition.