People Markets Milestones

Lobbying efforts

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March 2023

Focusing on the future of rail

Rail freight transport is a complex business with multiple stakeholders and affected parties. For a major player like VTG, it’s essential to help shape and enhance the framework conditions – on professional committees as well as in politics and society.

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Digitalization Innovations Strategy Sustainability

As the leading private wagon leasing company in Europe, we are the voice of the private sector in a highly regulated market dominated by state institutions and public-sector players. For our current and future business, it is enormously important for us to play a key role in shaping and enhancing the framework conditions – from technology to legislation – in the rail transport sector with our influence and expertise,” says René Abel, Head of Corporate Communications, in explaining why VTG is involved in political lobbying.

And VTG does this in a variety of ways: We are active members of dozens of international and national organizations, industry associations and cross-industry advocacy groups, such as the German CEO Alliance for Climate and Economy (Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft). Personal contacts with the policymaking and business worlds – and, in no small part, the presence of VTG specialists and managers at public events and closed-door discussions – play an important role in this. The topics and activities vary greatly depending on the target audience and objective. However, VTG is ultimately pursuing three main goals:

1 To boost the competitiveness of the rail transport sector by advocating for better regulatory framework conditions

2 To have a hand in shaping and deploying important innovations across the industry

3 To keep cost-intensive impacts of policy decisions within limits that are economically tolerable to wagon owners

Intense interaction with policymakers and associations

VTG’s external political lobbying activities are mainly managed and coordinated by two departments with complementary responsibilities. In the Corporate Communications department headed by René, Jessica Raguž is in charge of VTG’s political communication efforts as Head of Public Relations and Governmental Affairs. Together with René and Anne Krege, she makes sure that the company’s interests are integrated into policymaking processes and that VTG’s positions are heard. This is done by working closely with Matthias Knüpling, Head of Industry Lobbying & Associations, who is responsible for committee-related work. He represents VTG in various associations and coordinates the exchange of information across Europe to ensure that VTG’s interests are taken into account on the various issues throughout the continent.

“We help shape the framework conditions and use our knowledge to decisively advance the further development of rail freight transport.”

Matthias Knüpling

The two departments handle a very wide range of tasks. As Jessica explains: “When it comes to political communication, we basically work on two levels. On the one hand, we deal intensively with technical and regulatory matters and analyze how topics that are important to us are discussed in the political arena.” The range of issues includes purely rail-related matters (e.g., noise and track access prices), more general developments (e.g., the currently high industrial electricity prices), and global trends (e.g., climate change).

On the other hand, she continues, there is the “human level” – in other words, forming and cultivating relationships with political stakeholders. This is done, for example, in the context of face-to-face meetings, at VTG-hosted events and via publications, such as our regularly published policy briefs. While doing so, it is important to incorporate all activities into all of the company’s communication efforts. “We will only be able to get our messages heard on a sustained basis and to earn a reputation for being a competent point of contact for policymakers and associations on issues related to rail freight transport if we maintain a consistent presence on all channels,” René explains.

Von links nach rechts: Dr. René Abel, Anne Krege, Jessica Raguz, Matthias Knüpling, Nicole Kohn

For committee-related efforts, Matthias coordinates an in-house network of roughly 40 experts with the assistance of Nicole Kohn. “Our colleagues are active in a lot of technical and operational working groups at associations and institutions, and they usually do all this on top of their actual duties,” Matthias says. “Their work is extremely valuable because, in addition to ensuring that VTG’s voice is heard on these committees, they also help shape the framework conditions and use their knowledge to decisively advance the further development of rail freight transport.” However, what worries Matthias is the fact that many of the experts have been doing this job for decades and will be retiring in the years ahead, so young staff members who are eager to take on this important role are always welcome – both in Germany and across Europe. After all, in addition to its work in traditional forums, such as on the Technical Committee of the Association of German Wagon Keepers (VPI), VTG is having to take on new responsibilities, especially when it comes to the future-oriented field of combined transport. At present, the widespread adoption of digital automatic coupling is a decisive issue.

“We naturally represent VTG’s interests above anything else. But as Europe’s largest private wagon hire company, we also bear some responsibility for the entire industry.”

Jessica Raguž

Schienenverkehr ist umweltfreundlich und zuverlässig.

Since rail transport is widely recognized as being particularly eco-friendly, it enjoys a competitive edge over other modes of transport. In its political efforts, VTG also puts a corresponding amount of emphasis on being involved in various initiatives related to environmental and climate protection, such as the German CEO Alliance for Climate and Economy, the Eco-Partnership Hamburg (UPHH), the Responsible Care initiative and the Climate Bonds Initiative. To put it all in a nutshell, René says: “We contribute entrepreneurial expertise to come up with solutions and to assist policymakers in their efforts to promote rail freight transport in the interests of climate protection.”

This is where we are active

VTG is involved in a large number of national and international associations and advocacy groups. Want a selection? Here are just some of the organizations in which VTG is a member:

Associations of wagon keepers