The UIC Finance Committee met on 14 June. The annual meeting brought together the Finance Directors of active European UIC members and gave an opportunity for the 4 permanent finance working groups and 4 participant working groups to present their work for the previous year and share the provisional programme for the year in progress.

The meeting was chaired by Finance Committee Chairman David Sitruck (SNCF) and UIC Finance Director Thierry Béra. The meeting was opened by UIC CEO Mr Loubinoux. Reports were made by the groups PATRIC (passenger audit group); RCF 1 (Accounting and Financial Regulations – Passenger Working Party); RCF 2 (Accounting and Financial Regulations – Freight Working Party), who spoke about the updated version of Leaflet 304; RCF 3 (Financial relations between railway undertakings - Principles and terms of application); ODC (Office of Debt Clearance); the Statistics Group, which focuses on financial and railway statistics; and the Taxation Group. Mr Béra suggested adding next year the work of the UIC Legal Group to the Finance Committee’s portfolio, making it one of the participant groups.
Four guest speakers attended the meeting: Simon Fletcher, Director of UIC’s European Region, presented the EU’s 4th Railway Package; Francis Bedel, UIC IT Division, explained the Digital Platform and related developments within UIC; Marie-Hélène Bonneau, UIC Security Division, Department of Fundamental Values, talked at length about security projects and activities for 2016-1017; and Oana Patraulescu about the development of QMS. The next Financial Committee meeting is scheduled for June 2018.

The meeting allowed participants to exchange views on developments in Railway Finance activities and enlarge their knowledge of UIC projects and perspectives.