In many European countries, railways are the biggest single consumer of electricity as 80% of train-kilometres are run on electric energy, a growing portion of which comes from renewable sources. Railways are therefore heavily impacted by the ongoing energy price hike. In view of the Energy Council on 30 September the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) stresses the need to avoid a paradoxical situation where fossil-fuel-reliant transport modes gain a competitive advantage over more sustainable, electric-based transport modes such as railways. On the contrary, railways’ energy efficiency must become a key tool to increase EU energy resilience. CER calls for Member States to consider introducing special measures for Services of General Economic Interest with a guaranteed supply of energy and price caps on electricity for rail. (....)