European Rail Infrastructure Managers

EIM was created in 2002 with the principal purpose of providing a single voice to represent its members vis-à-vis the relevant European institutions and sector stakeholders. EIM also assists members in developing their businesses through the sharing of experiences and contributing to the technical and safety activities of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).

EIM has periodically engaged with legislators such as with the European Commission during the formulation or alteration of legislation pertaining to the rail sector, typically advocating for the independence of infrastructure managers and measures to promote competitive forces and greater liberalisation. Specifically, it has directly communicated with regulators and legislators on both the technical and operational aspects on the long term deployment plans for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and the Single European Railway Area (SERA) initiative.

Fostering cooperation and coordination between its member infrastructure managers has also been an important activity; EIM has spoken out on the need for future infrastructure deployment schemes to maintain interoperability requirements and to embrace common practices. It has also monitored the benefits of certain programmes, such as the adaption of rail infrastructure to better accommodate climate challenges. EIM had been an advocate of the use of public–private partnerships (PPP). Specifically, it has encouraged the inclusion of private entities in the provision of both services and infrastructure; it has observed several major projects being completed via PPPs, such as the Channel Tunnel, the Öresund Bridge, and LGV Sud Europe Atlantique.

Periodically, EIM has coordinated with other associations, such as the European Railway and Infrastructure Companies, the International Rail Transport Committee, and the International Union of Railways (UIC), towards shared goals such as increased digitalisation within the rail sector.

During late 2013, several reforms were enacted by EIM’s membership; the association’s statutes were altered to permit all rail infrastructure managers to join EIM, regardless of their organisational structure, ownership and size, thus better enabling non-national and private infrastructure managers to participate. Furthermore, EIM endorsed a proposal by the European Commission to establish a European Platform of Rail Infrastructure Managers.

EIM has also promoted the greater use of rail transport as an environmentally-friendly option for fulfilling transport needs and called for the European Parliament to give high priority in future transport policies to promoting a modal shift towards the rail sector in response to climate concerns. During late 2018, EIM gave its public support to the 'Graz Declaration', a political initiative focused on the development of environment-friendly transportation in Europe.

During mid 2020, EIM publicly outlined proposals on how the development and deployment of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) should be tackled.