Regulation (EU) 2019/503 on certain aspects of railway safety and connectivity with regard to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union

Summary:

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2019 aiming to address issues relating to cross-border rail operations, and to ensure their continuity, in the light of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

Further information:

The withdrawal of the UK from the EU without an agreement affects the validity of safety authorisations issued under Directive 2004/49/EC for the management and operation of cross-border infrastructure linking the EU and the UK. In the area of rail transport, in most cases the effect of the UK’s withdrawal on certificates, authorisations and licences can be remedied by stakeholders through various measures, in particular by their establishment in a Member State and through obtaining the appropriate authorisations, certificates and licences there.

However, the negotiation and signature of agreements between the EU Member States concerned and the UK would be necessary to address issues relating directly to rail cross-border operations, ensure their continuity after the withdrawal date, and thereby mitigate disruptions in the Union. The conclusion of such bilateral agreements would only be possible after the UK becomes a third country.

In particular the situation regarding the binational safety authority, set up under the Treaty of Canterbury relating to the Channel Tunnel, would have to be adapted taking into account the new status of the United Kingdom as a third country. Therefore on 12 February 2019 the Commission proposed measures ensuring the continued validity of authorisations for certain parts of the rail infrastructure in line with the relevant EU law. The Council of the European Union adopted the proposed Regulation on 22 March.

Official

EUR-Lex: COM(2019)88: Proposal for a Regulation on certain aspects of railway safety and connectivity with regard to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2019:088:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 12/02/2019: Brexit preparedness: European Commission adopts “no-deal” contingency measure for railway safety and connectivity http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-1051_en.htm

European Commission: Press Release, 22/03/2019: Railway safety and connectivity with the UK: Council adopts Brexit contingency measures https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/03/22/railway-safety-and-connectivity-with-the-uk-council-adopts-brexit-contingency-measures/

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