UNIFE Urges EU to Block Foreign Tech from Rail Networks

UNIFE urges EU to use Cybersecurity Act to restrict high-risk, non-EU tech in rail, impacting supply chains and potentially favoring European firms.

January 21, 2026 10:39 pm

🛑 Key Takeaways:

UNIFE is urging the EU to use new powers under the revised Cybersecurity Act to assess and restrict high-risk non-EU technology suppliers from European rail networks.
The legislation’s Title IV empowers the European Commission to designate high-risk third countries and suppliers, enabling their exclusion from critical infrastructure.
The move could reshape the EU rail tech supply chain, favoring European firms by restricting foreign competitors on grounds of national and military security.

BRUSSELS – The European Rail Supply Industry Association (UNIFE) is calling on the European Commission and ENISA to immediately apply new powers from the revised EU Cybersecurity Act to bar high-risk, non-EU technology suppliers from the continent’s rail networks. The call comes amid a broader EU push to secure critical infrastructure against cyber threats and foreign interference, citing risks to military mobility and strategic supply chains.

Category	Specification / Detail
Legislation	Revised EU Cybersecurity Act (Title IV)
Key Stakeholders	UNIFE, European Commission, ENISA (EU Agency for Cybersecurity)
Affected Sector	European Rail Networks (Critical Infrastructure)
Proposed Actions	Designation of high-risk suppliers; EU-level restrictions; Reform of Public Procurement Directives
Core Justification	Cybersecurity, European military mobility, economic sovereignty
Enabling Powers	EC authority to designate & bar suppliers; ENISA-led market surveillance

Operational & Technical Details

The revised Cybersecurity Act provides the legal framework for UNIFE’s demands. Title IV specifically empowers the European Commission to designate certain third countries and ICT suppliers as “high-risk.” This designation can lead to their exclusion from supply chains in critical sectors, which now explicitly includes rail transport and transmission networks. This follows a similar risk-based framework previously established for 5G mobile networks, which saw restrictions placed on suppliers like Huawei.

The EU’s cybersecurity agency, ENISA, is granted an expanded role. It can now coordinate market surveillance with national authorities to proactively identify products that pose a threat to European infrastructure. This shifts the security posture from reactive to preventative. According to UNIFE, the immediate priority should be “specific rulings on unsuitable non-EU technology used on EU rail infrastructure,” which could include formal EU-level alerts.

Market Impact Analysis

This initiative represents a significant push for strategic autonomy in the European rail sector. If the Commission acts on UNIFE’s request, non-EU technology providers, particularly those from nations considered geopolitical rivals, could be locked out of the lucrative European rail market. This would directly benefit European industrial giants who are members of UNIFE by creating a more protected procurement environment.

UNIFE’s Director General, Enno Wiebe, stated the goal is to ensure “Europe does not lose control of its rail networks.” The association is also lobbying for future reforms to the Public Procurement Directives to classify the rail sector as strategic. Such a change would legally prioritize the investment of European and Member State funds into projects that utilize European technology, fundamentally altering the competitive landscape for public rail contracts.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What specific legislation is UNIFE referencing?

UNIFE is calling for the application of the revised EU Cybersecurity Act, specifically Title IV, which allows the European Commission to designate and restrict high-risk ICT suppliers from critical sectors.

Why is the rail sector considered critical?

The rail sector is defined as critical infrastructure essential for European military mobility and strategic supply chains, making its cybersecurity a matter of national and continental security.