EUROPE: Legislation to require the cross-?acceptance of rail vehicles between EU member states moved forward on July 9, when the European Parliament voted to approve the second reading of amendments to the 2004 Railway Safety Directive. The Parliament endorsed an earlier conciliation discussion with the Council of Ministers which should speed the introduction of the new rules.
As well as updating the Directive to require the certification of wagon maintenance entities, the Parliament voted for an amendment to the legislation establishing the European Railway Agency to formalise ERA’s new cross-acceptance unit, set up in April to develop recommendations for certification and mutual recognition of rolling stock pending the emergence of fully-interoperable designs.
Welcoming the co-operative approach which has seen 'the entire cross-acceptance package completed in less than two years from its initiation’, CER Deputy Executive Director Libor Lochman said the vote marked 'a milestone in establishing a truly open market without barriers to railway vehicles’.
