Our Mission
EPF campaigns for passenger rights throughout Europe by conducting research, publishing reports, holding conferences and working constructively with transport operators and decision-makers.
What we do
EPF is an international non-profit association under Belgian law. Each member organisation appoints a delegate who is responsible for the contacts between his/her association and the federation. All delegates are invited on a regular basis to the meetings of the Administrative Council and to the General Meeting. The chairman of EPF is Josef Schneider from ProBahn Germany.
EPF also has working groups that meet regularly with Eurostar and CER, and through our MoU’s with ERA and STA, we engage in ongoing dialogues. If needed, ad hoc working groups are formed, such as for the various EU consultations.
EPF’s statutes can be found here: Dutch (official) – English (translation).
Who are we?
A voice for public transport since 2002
Because of the growing impact of EU transport policy, passenger organisations from Belgium, Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and France decided early 2002 to join forces and establish a federation of passenger organisations which could promote the interests of public transport users on the European level.
On October 18, after several preliminary meetings and a successful conference in Brussels, the statutes of EPF were accepted at the first General Meeting in Gent (Belgium) and EPF became an international non-profit association under Belgian law.
At the beginning, the Belgian passenger organisation TreinTramBus (formerly known as BTTB) was appointed as registered office and acting secretariat for EPF. Since then, EPF has succeeded in attracting new members (currently 39) and established its position as a voice for public transport users in Europe. In 2007, EPF became a member of the Global Alliance for EcoMobility.
Eu-wide network.
Manifesto
Increasing passenger satisfaction should be at the heart of any initiative
Public transport exists to serve passengers and they must have a place in the decision-making process
Reliable, timely and impartial information is vital to an informed consumer choice
Public transport users want door-to-door journeys that are seamless, affordable, and reliable.
Public transport in all modes can, and must, make a significant contribution to social and environmental development.
Administrative borders and varying technical standards must not form unnecessary barriers to the provision of seamless public transport services.
The public transport system should provide a sustainable, accessible, attractive and practical choice for everyone wishing to travel.
Team
Delphine Grandsart
Katie Bulanowski
Wandi Chivaura
Management board members
Josef Schneider
Rian van der Borgt
Katharina Krell
Jorge Morera
Walter Etty
Martin Schiefelbusch
Dominique Rolland
Members
Member organisations and delegates
Each member organisation appoints a delegate who is responsible for the contacts between his/her association and the federation. All delegates are invited on a regular basis to the meetings of the General Meeting. The President of the General Meeting is Michel Quidort. EPF’s executive is the Management Board, which consists of seven persons; its chairman is Josef Schneider.
EPF also has working groups on the topics of international long-distance travel and regional cross-border services. There are working groups that meet with Eurostar, Thalys and CER on a regular basis. If needed, ad hoc working groups are formed, such as for the various EU consultations.
Austria
Fahrgast, delegate: Robert Huka
probahn Österreich, delegate: Peter Romen
Belgium
Association des Clients des Transports Publics (ACTP), delegate: Pierre Havelange
Back on Track Belgium, delegate: Francis Genon
Navetteurs.be, delegate: Gianni Tabbone
TreinTramBus, delegate: Willy Smeulders
Vlaamse Reizigersbond, delegate: Marc Broeckaert
Czech Republic
Sdružení železničních zákazníků (SŽZ), delegate: Lukáš Hübner
Svaz cestujících ve veřejné dopravě (SCVD), delegate: Miroslav Vyka
Denmark
Forbrugerrådet Tænk, delegate: Vibeke Myrtue Jensen
Council for Sustainable Transport Denmark, delegate: Poul Kattler
Finland
Suomen Rautatiematkustajat ry (SRM), delegate: Kalevi Kämäräinen
France
Fédération Nationale des Associations d’Usagers des Transports (FNAUT), delegate: Michel Quidort
Germany
Deutscher Bahnkunden-Verband (DBV), delegate: Wolfgang Klapdor
PRO BAHN, delegate: Katharina Krell
Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), delegate: Matthias Kurzeck
Berliner Fahrgastverband/IGEB, delegate: Martin Schiefelbusch
Greece
Deutscher Bahnkunden-Verband (DBV), delegate: Wolfgang Klapdor
PRO BAHN, delegate: Katharina Krell
Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), delegate: Matthias Kurzeck
Berliner Fahrgastverband/IGEB, delegate: Martin Schiefelbusch
Hungary
Debreceni Regionális Közlekedési Egyesület (DERKE), delegate: János Vincze
Városi és Elővárosi Közlekedési Egyesület (VEKE), delegate: Lajos Dorner
Ireland
Rail Users Ireland, delegate: Thomas Stamp
Italy
Associazione Utenti del Trasporto Pubblico (UTP), delegate: Marco Gariboldi
Luxembourg
Association Luxembourgeoise des Amis des Chemins de Fer (ALACF), delegate: Trevor Garrod
Netherlands
Reizigers Openbaar Vervoer (Rover), delegate: Rian van der Borgt
Norway
For Jernbane (FJ), delegate: Jens Hansen
Poland
Consumers’ Forum for Air Passenger Rights in Europe, delegate: Katarzyna Martynowicz
Zielone Mazowsze (ZM), delegate: Maciej Sulmicki
ProKolej, delegate: Jakub Majewski
Slovenia
Focus, delegate: Marjeta Benčina
Spain
Associació per a la Promoció del Transport Públic (PTP), delegate: Pau Noy
Sweden
Resenärerna, riksorganisationen för kollektivtrafikens konsumenter, delegate: Kurt Hultgren
Switzerland
Pro Bahn Schweiz, delegate: Edwin Dutler
United Kingdom
Association of European Rail Agents (AERA), delegate: Trevor Garrod
Bus Users UK, delegate: Barclay Davies
European Rail Campaign (UK), delegate: Nigel Perkins
London TravelWatch, delegate: Susan James
Transport Focus, delegate: Christopher Irwin
Railfuture, delegate: Ian Brown
TravelWatch SouthWest, delegate: Bryony Chetwode
Our Mission
EPF campaigns for passenger rights throughout Europe by conducting research, publishing reports, holding conferences and working constructively with transport operators and decision-makers.