A stronger Agency to deliver on Europe’s rail ambitions

At the European Union Agency for Railways, we have a clear responsibility: to support a safe, interoperable and high-performing European railway system. 

Over the past months, during my first year of mandate as Executive Director, I have taken an important step to strengthen how we meet that responsibility. We have modernised the Agency’s organisation - not as an end in itself, but to ensure that we can deliver more, and deliver better, for the European railway agenda and the citizens it ultimately serves. 

This evolution is fully anchored in our Single Programming Document and the growing ambition placed on the Agency. Europe is asking more from rail - from accelerating ERTMS deployment to supporting cross-border operations, digitalisation and capacity. It is therefore also asking more from us. 

To meet that expectation, we need to be more agile, more focused, and even more oriented towards results. 

Listening, understanding, and acting 

This reorganisation did not start from a blank page. It is rooted in a careful reflection on how we work today and how we need to work tomorrow. 

I have listened to ERA staff, through the Staff Engagement Survey and dedicated exchanges. We reflected together during our first Strategy Away Day in 2025. We looked honestly at our internal functioning, at what works well and where we can improve. And we considered the evolving needs of the European railway system. 

What emerged was a consistent message: we have strong expertise, strong commitment, and a strong sense of mission - but we can further improve how we connect these strengths to deliver impact. 

This is what the new organisation is designed to do. 

From structure to results 

At its core, this transformation is about reinforcing a simple idea: our organisation must serve our delivery. 

This is why I have sought to align the backbone of our organisation with the three strategic priorities of our Single Programming Document. 

• Interoperability and cost-effectiveness: we have streamlined how expertise is deployed across the Agency, strengthened coordination, and ensured that our resources are focused where they generate the greatest value for the European railway system. It is for the first time that one of the Agency’s organisational structures looks at cost reduction in rail as a key element of its ambition.
• Safety: we have reinforced clarity of roles, strengthened governance and processes, and ensured that our organisation fully supports consistent, high-quality outputs in one of the Agency’s core missions.
• Future-proofing the railway system: we have enhanced our ability to respond to emerging priorities by bringing together capabilities and fostering a more agile, forward-looking organisation. 

Through this alignment, the organisation is not only more coherent internally - it is also directly connected to the results we are expected to deliver for Europe’s rail sector, businesses and citizens. 

Working better together 

Another important objective has been to strengthen how we work as one Agency. Railways are, by nature, a system. Our organisation must reflect that reality. The new set-up supports closer collaboration across teams, breaks down silos, and fosters a stronger sense of shared purpose. 

At the same time, we continue to invest in our people - because our performance depends on them. We are placing renewed emphasis on leadership, on developing competencies, and on maintaining a positive and supportive working environment. 

For me, this is essential: performance and well-being go hand in hand. 

A robust and inclusive process 

I have been particularly attentive to ensuring that this transformation has been carried out with care and transparency. 

It has followed a structured, evidence-based and participatory process, with clear milestones and continuous dialogue. Staff have been informed, consulted and actively involved throughout, and we have ensured full continuity of the Agency’s work during the transition. 

This matters - not only for the quality of the result, but for the trust and cohesion that underpin our collective success. 

Looking ahead 

This reorganisation is an important step in our journey, but it is not the end of it. Its success will be measured in our ability to deliver: to support Europe’s railway priorities more effectively, to respond to our stakeholders and end customers with greater clarity and speed, and to continue to grow as a trusted and high-performing Agency. 

With this strengthened organisation, we are better equipped to translate the ambition of our Single Programming Document into concrete results - and to contribute, in a very tangible way, to the future of Europe’s railway system. 

I am confident that we can count on all our partners and engaged stakeholders to work together to achieve this ambitious pursuit.

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.