The FIP group’s plenary meeting was held at UIC on 12 October, bringing together 37 participants from 17 countries. Amongst the delegates were representatives from lead member ÖBB, chairman Thomas Leeb, secretary Martin Pecina, and Jean-Pierre Loubinoux and Filomena Nunes representing UIC.

During his speech, Mr Loubinoux, Director-General of UIC, welcomed the members of the FIP group and recalled its last meeting at UIC in 2016. At that meeting, the then Secretary-General, Karl Glaser, had introduced his successor, Martin Pecina, prior to his retirement.

Mr Loubinoux highlighted the importance of the General Assembly taking place at UIC. He stressed that UIC is an association that works on behalf of its members (more than 230 around the world), supporting innovation, coordinating projects and disseminating project results.

The shared values of the railway community are promoted through 12 different fora and dedicated platforms, around one hundred working groups and a dozen special groups such as the FIP.

Each of these groups works towards the shared objective of interoperability and mobility. The FIP group is central to efforts in this regard because mobility of experts, personnel and stakeholders from the railway world is essential to ensure solid, sustainable cooperation.

Mr Loubinoux thanked the lead member and the many participants for their work and emphasised that their activities would require continuous adaptation to new cultures and contexts. This includes the revision of standards and leaflets in cooperation with UIC, represented within the FIP group by Filomena Nunes.
Against a backdrop of ongoing evolution, the group’s values remain unchanged. Established in the 1950s, the FIP is a dynamic group with a long history of cooperation for the overall benefit of the railway sector.