Archive 2025

The Rail Working Group warmly welcomes the European Commission’s new Communication “Connecting Europe through High-Speed Rail” (COM(2025) 903 final) and the Commission’s clear recognition of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention as a crucial instrument to stimulate private investment in rolling stock and support the delivery of Europe’s ambitious high-speed rail network.

The UK government announced yesterday the publication of a Railways Bill setting out the future of the rail sector in the UK. Including in the draft legislation is a provision authorising the UK government to move forward with the ratification of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention.

In the field of Technical Insurance, Helvetia holds a longstanding and trusted rolling stock portfolio positioning it among Switzerland’s leading providers of rolling stock and infrastructure insurance. This portfolio continues to expand across the European Economic Area. Driven by the work of the Rail Working Group (RWG), Helvetia is committed to supporting the expansion of climate-friendly rail transport.

The Saudi Rail Conference is taking place on 19th/20th October in Riyadh against a background of growing engagement in rail across the GCC states.

International law firm Addleshaw Goddard (AG) has joined rail industry association, Rail Working Group (RWG) the not-for-profit rail industry association which is helping to facilitate the financing of much needed new train fleets globally.

The Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC) has today announced that when the Luxembourg Rail Protocol in force in the state of the debtor/lessee, ECIC will apply a discount of up to 20% to its risk premium when it underwrites rolling stock financings, subject to ECIC minimum local South African content rules, compliance with the Protocol and other underwriting conditions.

The third edition of the Official Commentary on the Luxembourg Rail Protocol by Professor Sir Roy Goode was published by UNIDROIT late last year. This is a major upgrade on the second edition taking into account, for the first time, the entry into force of the Protocol and the various legal instruments surrounding its implementation, including the regulations for operation of the International Registry and the UN model rules on permanent marking of railway rolling stock.

We’re pleased to announce that Anura Partners is now an official member of the Rail Working Group supporting the implementation of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention.

The Rail Working Group continues its work on migrating the use of the URVIS numbering system, created under the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, onto digital platforms. The informal working group, set up by the UNECE, has been looking at how an additional set of voluntary standards covering this area can be added to the UN Model Rules on the Permanent Identification of Railway Rolling Stock.

Willem Goosen, CEO of European Loc Pool, was yesterday elected to the Management Committee of the Rail Working Group at the RWG Annual General Meeting.