EUROPE: A renewable five-year co-ordination agreement which the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail describes as 'pivotal for the development of international railway law' has been signed by OTIF, the European Railway Agency and DG Move, the European Commission's transport directorate.
OTIF said the agreement signed in Brussels on October 24 would enable the progressive implementation of 'real interoperability'.
The agreement is intended to ensure compatibility between the regulations which apply to the 49 OTIF member states and regulations developed by the ERA which only apply to EU members. The EU acceded to OTIF in 2011, and the new administrative agreement covers its voting procedure on OTIF's technical bodies, and enables OTIF to send delegates to ERA working groups to represent the interests of non-EU states.
ERA and OTIF are also to establish common registers of entities in charge of maintenance and vehicle keeper markings.
