European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)

The objective of the Agency shall be to contribute to the further development and effective functioning of a single European railway area without frontiers, by guaranteeing a high level of railway safety and interoperability, while improving the competitive position of the railway sector. In particular, the Agency shall contribute, on technical matters, to the implementation of Union legislation by developing a common approach to safety on the Union rail system and by enhancing the level of interoperability on the Union rail system. The Agency shall be a body of the Union with legal personality. Further objectives of the Agency shall be to follow the development of national railway rules in order to support the performance of national authorities acting in the fields of railway safety and interoperability and to promote the optimisation of procedures. The Agency shall establish and manage an information and communications system with at least one-stop-shop functions. ERA is the system authority for vehicle authorization and trackside approval.