The transition to net-zero logistics is key for Europe’s future but it is not without its challenges. Foremost among them is the need to optimise freight flows and enable seamless multimodal connectivity.
The ‘Net-Zero-Logistics study’, developed by EY for Europe’s Rail in cooperation with a steering committee of key European rail and logistics players (CER, CLECAT, EIM, ERFA, ETP-Alice, European Commission – DG MOVE, UIP, UIRR, UNIFE) and a panel of independent academics, was published in June 2025 and analyses the potential contribution of rail freight to the development of net-zero logistics chains across Europe.
And the role that rail freight can play in it is big, for the study finds significant societal and economic value as a result of investing in rail innovation and deployment in Europe’s logistics mix: fewer accidents, less air pollution, and lower congestion: reducing external costs by €85 billion, €74 billion in energy savings, infrastructure maintenance costs reduced by €6 billion.
In short: Every €1 invested in sustainable and efficient logistics will generate up to €5 euro of added value for the European people. (....)