Infrastructure for rail transport
Construction, modernisation, operation and maintenance of railways and subways as well as bridges and tunnels, stations, terminals, rail service facilities(326), safety and traffic management systems including the provision of architectural services, engineering services, drafting services, building inspection services and surveying and mapping services and the like as well as the performance of physical, chemical and other analytical testing of all types of materials and products.
Manufacture, installation, technical consulting, retrofitting, upgrade, repair, maintenance, repurposing of products, equipment, systems and software related to one of the following elements:
- assembled railway track fixtures;
- rail constituents detailed in Points 2.2 to 2.6 to Annex II of Directive (EU) 2016/797.
The economic activities in this category could be associated with several NACE codes, in particular C25.99, C27.9, C30.20, F42.12, F42.13, M71.12, M71.20, F43.21, and H52.21 in accordance with the statistical classification of economic activities established by Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006.
Substantial contribution
This activity can make a substantial contribution to the following objective(s). The activity must also pass DNSH assessment against the remaining five objectives.
✓ Climate mitigation
1. The activity complies with one of the following criteria:the infrastructure (as defined in Annex II.2 to Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council(327)) is either :electrified trackside infrastructure and associated subsystems: infrastructure, energy, on-board control-command and signalling, and trackside control-command and signalling subsystems as defined in Annex II.2 to Directive (EU)2016/797;new and existing trackside infrastructure and associated subsystems where there is a plan for electrification as regards line tracks, and, to the extent necessary for electric train operations, as regards sidings, or where the infrastructure will be fit for use by zero tailpipe CO2 emission trains within 10 years from the beginning of the activity: infrastructure, energy, on-board control-command and signalling, and trackside control-command and signalling subsystems as defined in Annex II.2 to Directive (EU)2016/797;until 2030, existing trackside infrastructure and associated subsystems that are not part of the TEN-T network(328) and its indicative extensions to third countries, nor any nationally, supranationally or internationally defined network of major rail lines: infrastructure, energy, on-board control-command and signalling, and trackside control-command and signalling subsystems as defined in Annex II.2 to Directive (EU) 2016/797;the infrastructure and installations are dedicated to transhipping freight between the modes: terminal infrastructure and superstructures for loading, unloading and transhipment of goods;infrastructure and installations are dedicated to the transfer of passengers from rail to rail or from other modes to rail;digital tools enable an increase in efficiency, capacity or energy saving.2. The infrastructure is not dedicated to the transport or storage of fossil fuels.
✓ Climate adaptation
1. The economic activity has implemented physical and non-physical solutions (‘adaptation solutions’) that substantially reduce the most important physical climate risks that are material to that activity.2. The physical climate risks that are material to the activity have been identified from those listed in Appendix A of the applicable Delegated Act by performing a robust climate risk and vulnerability assessment with the following steps:screening of the activity to identify which physical climate risks from the list in Appendix A of the applicable Delegated Act may affect the performance of the economic activity during its expected lifetime;where the activity is assessed to be at risk from one or more of the physical climate risks listed in Appendix A of the applicable Delegated Act, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment to assess the materiality of the physical climate risks on the economic activity;an assessment of adaptation solutions that can reduce the identified physical climate risk.The climate risk and vulnerability assessment is proportionate to the scale of the activity and its expected lifespan, such that: for activities with an expected lifespan of less than 10 years, the assessment is performed, at least by using climate projections at the smallest appropriate scale;for all other activities, the assessment is performed using the highest available resolution, state-of-the-art climate projections across the existing range of future scenarios(587) consistent with the expected lifetime of the activity, including, at least, 10 to 30 year climate projections scenarios for major investments. 3. The climate projections and assessment of impacts are based on best practice and available guidance and take into account the state-of-the-art science for vulnerability and risk analysis and related methodologies in line with the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports(588), scientific peer-reviewed publications and open source(589) or paying models.4. The adaptation solutions implemented:do not adversely affect the adaptation efforts or the level of resilience to physical climate risks of other people, of nature, of cultural heritage, of assets and of other economic activities;favour nature-based solutions(590) or rely on blue or green infrastructure(591) to the extent possible;are consistent with local, sectoral, regional or national adaptation plans and strategies;are monitored and measured against pre-defined indicators and remedial action is considered where those indicators are not met;where the solution implemented is physical and consists in an activity for which technical screening criteria have been specified in this Annex, the solution complies with the do no significant harm technical screening criteria for that activity.
Do No Significant Harm criteria
To be taxonomy-aligned, this activity must not significantly harm any of the five objectives it does not substantially contribute to.
Water and marine resources
The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix B of the applicable Delegated Act.
Circular economy
At least 70 % (by weight) of the non-hazardous construction and demolition waste (excluding naturally occurring material referred to in in category 17 05 04 in the European List of Waste established by Decision 2000/532/EC) generated on the construction site is prepared for reuse, recycling and other material recovery, including backfilling operations using waste to substitute other materials, in accordance with the waste hierarchy and the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Management Protocol(592). Operators limit waste generation in processes related construction and demolition, in accordance with the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Management Protocol and taking into account best available techniques and using selective demolition to enable removal and safe handling of hazardous substances and facilitate reuse and high-quality recycling by selective removal of materials, using available sorting systems for construction and demolition waste.
Key thresholds
| Metric | Threshold | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| recycling rate of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste (by weight) | 70 | % |
Pollution prevention and control
Where appropriate, given the sensitivity of the area affected, in particular in terms of the size of population affected, noise and vibrations from use of infrastructure are mitigated by introducing open trenches, wall barriers, or other measures and they comply with Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(331). Measures are taken to reduce noise, dust and pollutant emissions during construction or maintenance works. For manufacturing of constituents, the activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix C of the applicable Delegated Act.
Biodiversity and ecosystems
The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix D of the applicable Delegated Act.In addition, the following is to be ensured:in the Union, in relation with Natura 2000 sites: the activity does not have significant effects on Natura 2000 sites in view of their conservation objectives on the basis of an appropriate assessment carried out in accordance with Article 6(3) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC(333);in the Union, in any area: the activity is not detrimental to the recovery or maintenance of the populations of species protected under Directive 92/43/EEC and Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(334) at a favourable conservation status. The activity is also not detrimental to the recovery or maintenance of the habitat types concerned and protected under Directive 92/43/EEC at a favourable conservation status.outside of the Union, activities are conducted in accordance with applicable law related to the conservation of habitats and species.
Documentation typically required
- Appropriate assessment in accordance with Article 6(3) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC — Required to demonstrate no significant effects on Natura 2000 sites in view of their conservation objectives.
Criteria sourced from the EU Taxonomy Navigator. Applicable act: Climate Delegated Act (OJ L 442, 9.12.2021). Last verified: 19 July 2026.
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