Five years ago, on 16 June 2019, marked a pivotal moment in European rail history with the adoption of the 4th Railway Package. This initiative has reinforced the Single European Railway Area and made rail operations more accessible, transparent, and predictable.
The 4th Railway Package empowered the Agency to streamline procedures further, issuing vehicle authorisations, single safety certificates, and ERTMS Trackside approvals through the OSS – One-Stop-Shop (OSS). This meant centralising processes, eliminating the need for multiple national applications, and fostering greater efficiency and cohesion across Member States.
The performance achieved since 2019 has been made possible by ERA’s dedicated staff and the excellent cooperation with the entire European railway sector that trusted the process and submitted their requests. After five years in this role, the Agency has authorised 80,000 vehicles since 2019, representing more than 65% of all VA CTT and more than 33% of all Vehicle Type Authorisations in the EU. Moreover, ERA has issued 22% of the total number of single safety certificates delivered in the EU last year, including cross-border and single-Member State operations. ERA has delivered 15 ERTMS trackside approvals and manages a portfolio of 105 applications.
"With the implementation of the 4th Railway Package, we continue our journey towards a truly unified European railway network," said Josef Doppelbauer, ERA Executive Director, adding that "looking back at the milestones achieved, ERA has risen to the expectations, as indeed, there is no SERA (Single European Railway Area) without ERA. And we are proud to be considered a reliable partner, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and citizens throughout the EU."
For further details, please visit the dedicated page on ERA's website: https://www.era.europa.eu/content/5th-anniversary-era-authority-vehicle-authorisation-safety-certification-and-ertms
About the EU Agency for Railways
The European Union Agency for Railways was established in Valenciennes in 2004, and has 200 employees representing more than 22 European Member States.
ERA has been providing EU Member States and the European Commission with technical assistance in the development and implementation of the Single European Railway Area. This comprises enhancing technical interoperability and harmonising rules, promoting simplified access for customers, developing a common approach to safety and safety culture, advising on telematics applications and ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System), monitoring National Safety Authorities and Notified Bodies and facilitating the exchange of information between the railway actors in Europe.
Since 16th June 2019 the EU Agency for Railways is mandated to issue single safety certificates and vehicle (type) authorisations valid in multiple European countries and to ensure an interoperable European Rail Traffic Management System.
About the 4th Railway Package
The technical pillar of the 4th Railway Package is designed to boost the competitiveness of the European railway sector by significantly reducing the costs and the administrative burden for cross-border rail services. In particular, the technical pillar implementation does: