Signature of Headquarters Agreement between the French government and the European Union Agency for Railways in Valenciennes

The Headquarters Agreement describes the conditions to ensure the proper and independent functioning of the Agency and how the Agency, its employees and their families are treated by the French government.

The Headquarters Agreement was signed today 15th April 2019 by Mme. Élisabeth Borne, French Minister of Transport and Dr. Josef Doppelbauer, Executive Director of the Agency. The ceremony was attended by: Mr. Lalande, Préfet du Nord; Mr. Rock, Sous-Préfet de Valenciennes; Mr. Fontaine, Président de la CCI du Grand Hainaut; Mr. Guy Marchant, Premier Adjoint au Maire de Valenciennes.

“We are proud to have now reached this agreement”, says Dr. Josef Doppelbauer. “It is important to have this accomplished before 16th June 2019. At that date the Agency will extend the scope of its work. The Agency will become the only institution worldwide mandated to authorise vehicles that operate across borders in Europe, to issue single safety certificates which are valid in multiple European states, and to ensure an interoperable European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). It is our vision that European railways should be safe, connected and affordable. It is our task to establish harmonised processes and high safety standards which should allow railways, currently the most sustainable mode of transport, to become more attractive for passengers and freight.”

The Headquarters Agreement will enter into force after ratification by the French parliament.

The European Union Agency for Railways is situated in Valenciennes (offices) and Lille (meeting facilities) since 2004. Its 170 employees represent more than 22 European Member States and speak multiple languages.

For further information about this event, please contact us by email.

Read the Press Release here.