A shared commitment to strengthening Europe’s rail system

Yesterday at ERA Headquarters in Valenciennes, I had the pleasure of welcoming the Chair and Deputy Chair of the ERA Management Board, Hinne Groot and Samuel Bonnier, for an exchange on the Agency’s evolving priorities. We covered a wide-ranging agenda spreading over strategic, operational, and governance matters. 

The cooperation with the Management Board and with the European Commission are key in setting the direction for ERA’s multiannual strategic ambition and work planning in order to best support the ambitious EU rail agenda. 

Some strategic areas of attention included: 

• strengthened TSIs governance,
• optimised ERTMS implementation,
• optimised support for removing rail cross border obstacles,
• strengthened capacity building at Member State level,
• cost-effective regulation and authorisation processes,
• as well as Agency’s contribution to key topics such as
  • rail digitalisation,
  • climate resilience,
  • military mobility
  • and the High-Speed Rail Master Plan delivery. 

As we look ahead, delivering on this ambition calls for matching it with effective Agency governance and with the right capabilities and enablers to support the Agency’s growing role in the Europe’s transport landscape. 

Grateful for the constructive dialogue and shared commitment to strengthening Europe’s rail system and much looking forward to an excellent partnership with the Agency’s Management Board.

This article was published as part of the On Track with the Director page, a personal window into the thoughts, insights, and takeaways of Oana Gherghinescu, Executive Director of ERA.