Signing of a partnership between FIF and VDB

On 22 September 2022, at the Innotrans trade fair in Berlin (the leading international transport technology exhibition), Louis Nègre, Chairman of the French Railway Industry Association "FIF" and Andre Rodenbeck, Chairman of the Verband der Bahnindustrie "VDB" (the German Railway Industry Association) signed an ambitious partnership. In view of the long-standing and constructive contacts between the two organisations and the changes taking place in the railway market, the two professional organisations representing the German and French industrial sectors wished to reaffirm the alignment of their objectives, the need for closer coordination on strategic matters and the resulting actions. This charter aims to strengthen the ties between the two signatory organisations and to establish a strategic committee tasked with defining the areas of cooperation and coordination on an annual basis. Signing of a partnership between FIF and VDB PRESS RELEASE VDB and FIF will regularly inform each other of the strategic matters facing their organisations in order to identify areas of cooperation. Both organisations are also aligned with UNIFE's European objectives. A strategic committee made up of board members from both professional organisations will meet once a year to validate the roadmap of actions to be implemented. The permanent staff of the two organisations will periodically review progress on the implementation of the roadmap. VDB and FIF will regularly coordinate their positions on relevant topics, leading, whenever appropriate, to joint statements. FIF and VDB will identify strategic areas of cooperation such as decarbonisation, innovation or cybersecurity. VDB and FIF will keep each other regularly informed of their communication and influencing activities and may collaborate on joint actions. The charter also aims to facilitate and increase meetings between experts and companies. In a sector as internationalised as this one, where France and Germany both rank among the best-performing countries in the field, this partnership will give rail industry players the benefit of stronger representation. A partnership structured around 4 key principles: At the "French Rail Night" evening event, Chairman Nègre expressed his satisfaction with this partnership: "I welcome this Franco-German agreement, which revives a cooperation that has always been beneficial and fruitful thanks to the friendly relations we maintain with VDB." In the coming months, a joint strategic roadmap will therefore be proposed to the board members of both organisations to set this collaboration on track for a future full of promise for the railway industries PRESS RELEASE About FIF FIF, the French Railway Industry Association, is an employers' organisation bringing together railway industry professionals, from large groups to SMEs. FIF's strategy is mainly aimed at helping to improve, on the one hand, the regulatory and technical environment, and on the other hand, the operating conditions of the profession. This strategy is built around three complementary areas: Member companies cover the whole of the railway industrial sector: rolling stock manufacturers, equipment suppliers, track and signalling industries, systems integrators, maintenance and repair. Marine Latombe Communications Manager Email: mlatombe@fif.asso.fr Phone: 01.50.63.83.60 Mobile: 06 59. 40.33. 96 Press contact: For further information, please visit our website: http://fif.asso.fr/ Also find us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/industries-ferroviaires/ or on Twitter: @IndustrieFerro 60 rue Anatole France - 92300 Levallois-Perret l 01 55 63 83 60 l www.fif.asso.fr ***