The EU Commission has proposed to make 2021 the European Year of Rail, to support the delivery of its European Green Deal objectives in the transport field. A series of events, campaigns and initiatives in 2021 will promote rail as a sustainable, innovative and safe mode of transport

The EU wants to slash emissions from transport by 90 percent by 2050 by getting cargo off of CO2-emitting trucks and on to much cleaner railways and barges.