Given the huge technical and structural heterogeneity that prevails in the European railway network, we need strong and Page 6 von 8  coordinated policy support to leap from a 19 th century heritage to a Single European Railway Area that is fit for the 21st century.
In addition to the direct disruption to international trading arrangements, adverse developments in the UK economy have a general spillover impact in Ireland, via export demand, the value of Irish-owned operations in the UK, asset prices and confidence effects.