4th Railway Package - Guide

 

Since 1991, the European railway sector has constantly been reformed by the European Union. The 4th Railway Package, which was adopted in 2016 is by far the largest and most complex legal initiative introduced so far. The 4th Railway Package consists of a political and a technical pillar which introduce substantial reforms for all stakeholders concerned. 

The Guide below (drop-down menu) illustrates in four different chapters the reforms in the field of vehicle authorisation, safety certification and ERTMS trackside approval as well as the new role of the European Union Agency for Railways as ‘frequently asked questions’. Given the fact that the implementation of the 4th Railway Package is an ongoing process, the Guide will be updated on a regular basis, in line with the progress of the reforms being made on EU level.

Christian Rausch
Chairman of the Group of Representative Bodies (GRB)

5.0 
  • The Safety Directive stipulates that the ERA and the NSAs take full responsibility for the certifications they issue;
  • In the case of litigations related to a safety certification, the applicant shall refer its case to a so-called ‘Board of Appeal’ of the ERA;
  • This body will be composed of experts which are appointed by the Management Board of the ERA (Member States/NSAs, EC, ERA);
  • In the case of diverging views between the ERA, the NSAs and / or the applicant, the Board of Appeal shall provide an opinion;
  • The ERA will charge fees & charges for the opinion of the Board of Appeal to the plaintiff.