Simplify, standardise, deploy

Moving across meetings and workstreams in recent weeks, I have seen a clear shift: European rail is beginning to align around a common purpose and to grow stronger as a system. For a sector often described as complex, the direction of travel feels much clearer, and the journey has started: simplify, standardise, deploy. 

I saw this first in our work on simplification with purpose. At the ERA Task Force on vehicle authorisation streamlining in Brussels, and again in the 4th Railway Package Steering Group, there was strong engagement from the sector, national authorities and ERA. Importantly, this translated into concrete agreement on how to automate and speed up conformity-to-type. It’s more than a technical discussion - it matters because Europe is entering a phase of large-scale ERTMS retrofitting, where speed, predictability and efficiency become mission critical. 

On standardisation, the shift is there. At the UNIFE General Assembly, I heard a clear and consistent message: European industry is ready to scale up, provided we ensure stable specifications, better alignment in assessment practices, fewer national particularities, and a truly workable path towards “off-the-shelf” ERTMS deployment and fast-track approvals. From the conformity assessment bodies, the message was equally constructive - as confirmed during the NB-Rail meeting - with a shared commitment to deliver efficiently, alongside a need to further harmonise accreditation practices and clarify the scope of safety-relevant checks. 

When it comes to deployment, what stood out to me is the increasing focus on reality on the ground. At the North Sea–Rhine–Mediterranean Corridor discussions, and at the Black Sea–Aegean Sea Corridor Platform meeting, there was a strong recognition from Member States and sector that success will depend on a realistic understanding of the actual operating conditions. This means being able to invest in efficient future systems, while addressing the persisting barriers and the maintenance backlog of the current infrastructure. 

At ERA's Management Board, the strategic direction focused on Agency’s work for ERTMS deployment, safety improvements, cross-border performance, and stronger evidence-based decision-making. We also had the pleasure of welcoming Vice-President Robert de Groot from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and exchange on the momentum for rail investments. For a sector expecting investment at the scale of hundreds of billions, technical stability, maturity and efficiency are not secondary considerations - they are essential to de-risk rail as a business case and to strengthen the long-term value of rail assets. 

So yes, the momentum around rail is real. And ERA is making a difference - not as a bottleneck, but as an enabler; not as a passive authority, but by building capacity and supporting tangible delivery.

This article is part of On Track with the Director, offering a personal window into the thoughts, insights and experiences of Oana Gherghinescu, Executive Director of ERA.