Press Release: Council reaches political agreement on railway interoperability and safety and the European Railway Agency

On 5 June 2014, at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council meeting in Brussels, the Council of the European Union reached a political agreement on the draft directives on the interoperability and safety of European railways and the draft regulation on the European Railway Agency.

Together, the three legislative acts make up the technical pillar of the fourth railway package, published by the Commission in January 2013. The completion of this technical pillar is expected to increase economies of scale for railway undertakings across the EU, reduce administrative costs and speed up procedures. It should also help to avoid any covert discrimination in the issuing of safety certificates and vehicle authorisations.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Council agrees its position on the European Railway Agency http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-council-agrees-its-position-on-the-european-railway-agency/

ESO: European railways at a junction: the Commission adopts proposals for a Fourth Railway Package http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-railways-at-a-junction-the-commission-adopts-proposals-for-a-fourth-railway-package/

ESO: Key source: European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-agency-for-railways/

European Commission: DG Mobility and Transport: Transport modes: Rail: Railway package http://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/rail/packages/index_en.htm

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