Challenges and the benefits of interoperability for the railway industry and the rail transport

Eric Fontanel

UNIFE General Manager

What is UNIFE ?

Full members: 62 of the largest and medium-sized companies in the rail supply sector

Associated members: 18 National Associations, representing almost 1,000 suppliers of railway equipment

UNIFE represents the European rail supply industry

Based in Brussels since 1992, 24 permanent employees

A trusted partner of the European institutions in all matters related to rail and transport

UNIFE members have an 80% market share in Europe and supply more than 50% of the worldwide production of rail equipment and services.

UNIFE Members

61 Full Members 15 National Associations

UNIFE harmonisation objectives

Ensure technical interoperability and standardisation, to enhance railway system in a competitive global market

Coordinate the efforts in standardisation areas, European technical regulation and research towards a better interoperable and even more environmentally friendly European railway transport system

Covers all the product areas of the railway system relevant for standards and regulation

Benefits of Interoperability

Interoperability is a high priority for the manufacturing industry, especially when concerning Rolling Stock ERTMS

Huge Benefits: Full open market Standardisation/bigger volumes No more borders Increase of rail traffic …

Challenges for Rolling Stock manufacturers: Not so technical but rather procedural & administrative

Current EC regulatory framework

New single Interoperability Directive 2008/57/EC of 17 June 2008

Introduces the concept of type authorisation

Provides a legal basis to Cross Acceptance agreements

Clarifies the conditions for putting in service of TSI compliant vehicles

New ERA Regulation (EC) No 1225/2008 of 16 December 2008

The ERA is mandated to develop a reference document with information on

all the national rules on placing in service of rolling stock

New Safety Directive 2008/110/EC of 16 December 2008

Confirms the responsibility for the authorisation for placing vehicle in service

to National Safety Authorities (NSA)

Business needs

We have now entered into the most complex period in terms of

placing in service of railways vehicles

Opening of the railways international transport market and

equipment procurement market, leading to:

a fast increasing need for international placing in service

pressure on prices and design of “platform” standard rolling

stock solutions by European manufacturers

Enforcement of National Safety Authorities powers, leading to the

publication of national rules in the 27 member states

Certification/Authorisation cost very high: 1 to 5 Million euros per

product and per country

Vehicle Authorisation request in Germany until 2010

14 41 71 59

375

497

929

1123

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2007 2008 2009 2010

Num

ber

of V

ehic

ule

Type / Vehicle

Administrative burden

TSIs harmonise: Basic parameters and interfaces - §4 Conformity assessment by Notified Bodies - §6

The rolling stock TSI are only valid on the TEN network, which includes only 40% of the European conventional lines

But practically all vehicles (high speed as well as conventional) have also to be authorised for non TEN routes

NSA authorisation for placing in service still means conformity with national rules and application of national processes, in addition to conformity to the TSI

The conformity to the rolling stock TSI for passenger trains is therefore, for the moment, seen by the manufacturing industry as a counter-productive burden

New Interoperability Directive:Type Authorisation

Simplifies and speeds-up the authorisation process

Clarifies the national authorisation process of existing types by the National Safety Authorities

Achieve structured transparency

New Interoperability Directive: Cross Acceptance

Fosters national bilateral agreements for mutual recognition of certifications and authorisations of placing in service of new rolling stock and other sub-systems

First results:

France and Germany

Recent return of experience underlines difficulties linked to the different processes

Corridor A Member States - IRL (International Requirement List)

A truly harmonised European market

The combination of the authorisation of type and of cross-acceptance agreements will help to lift the administrative burden during an interim period

But it cannot be sufficient on the medium term for the real and definitive creation of a fully open European market

UNIFE therefore fully supports the ERA works on the creation of the national rules reference list and on fostering harmonisation of certification procedures

But our final medium term objective is the ultimate elimination of all unnecessarily national technical rules and national certifications

National rules should ultimately be strictly restricted to duly identified national specific cases in Infrastructure, energy or control-command

Lessons from experience

Experience shows that :

only limited and well known in advance technical modifications are necessary for a Rolling Stock to be placed in service in a second country

the technical characteristics of a large majority of the off TEN routes do not differ significantly from the TEN ones

Furthermore, the compliance with the Rolling Stock TSI does not introduce higher construction costs, when the series can be enlarged by international acceptance

Step beyond the technical harmonisation:

Harmonisation of the authorisation/certification process in Europe, including: Roles and responsibilities Legal framework

Solve the incoherence between Interoperability and Safety Directive

As a consequence for the future:

ERA as European authority for the certification of rolling stock

NSA focussing on national specific cases

Extension of the ERA role

Thank you for your attention