CER constantly strives to be a reliable, competent and committed partner, building stable relationships based on active and transparent dialogue between the sector and the European institutions. To achieve this, we are fostering a common and united European railway community.
 
Other rail organisations are regularly invited to participate in CER working groups. Discussions on infrastructure, freight, and passenger issues are frequently held between CER experts from the Brussels office and CER members and representatives from the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM), the International Union of Railways (UIC), the European Rail Industry (UNIFE), and the International Union of Public Transport (UITP). Recent activities have also led to close co-operation between rail associations on
technical issues. Since its establishment by the EU in 2004, the European Railway Agency (ERA) has become another key partner in most technical harmonisation issues.
 
CER also maintains close relationships with the European Federation of Railway Trackworks Contractors (EFRTC), the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the International Union of combined Road-Rail transport companies (UIRR), RailNetEurope (RNE) and the International Rail Transport Committee (CIT), among others. On specific issues, CER liaises with non-rail organisations too, including NGOs, such as Transport and Environment (T&E), road lobby organisations, like the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), as well as financial bodies, such as the European Investment Bank (EIB). CER is also a member of the Centre of European Policy Studies (CEPS) and Friends of Europe, two Brussels based think-tanks as well as Rail Forum Europe, an MEPs’ platform
dedicated to rail transport.