The European railway Agency: an engine for the integrated railway area

1. EFRTC, Vilamoura on June 24TH 2005 The European railway Agency: an engine for the integrated railway area Olivier PIRON 24 June 2005

2. Proposal by the Commission from 23 January 2002 in the framework of the Second railway package… Regulation n° 881/2004 establishing the European Railway Agency 1 – What will the Agency do ? 2 – How will the Agency work ? 3 – The staff of the Agency 4 - Setting-up the European Railway Agency: First steps

3. 1.1 Works on Interoperability Drafting Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs) and revision of existing TSIs Coordination of Notified Bodies and supervision of their work Monitoring of Interoperability , report every 2 years 1 – What will the Agency do ?

4. 1.1 Works on Interoperability (II) Coordination of system migration Assist the Commission in the evaluation of projects financed by EU Develop a European certification system for maintenance workshops Develop a European certification system for drivers training centers 1 – What will the Agency do ?

5. 1.2 Work on Safety On the basis of the Safety directive, develop the Common safety methods, Common safety targets and Common safety indicators Facilitate cooperation among national safety authorities Facilitate cooperation among investigating bodies in case of accident 1 – What will the Agency do ?

6. 1.2 Work on safety (II) Develop an harmonised format for safety certificates Upon request by the Commission, assess new national safety rules Monitor safety performances and report every 2 years Technical opinion on specific cases in the field of railway safety 1 – What will the Agency do ?

7. 1.3 Registers and databases Interoperability documents register (EC declarations, authorisation of putting in service, national infrastructure and rolling stock registers, etc…) Safety database (licences, safety certificates, national rules, investigation reports, statistics…) 1 – What will the Agency do ?

8. 2 – How will the Agency work ? 2.1 Work programme Directives Interoperability / Safety Agency Regulation Administrative Board Annual work programme Commission Budget Establishment Plan Budgetary authority

9. 2 – How will the Agency work ? 2.2 Working parties National safety authorities experts Sector organisations acting at European level*: UNIFE, CER, EIM, UITP, UIP, UIRR, ERFA, ETF, ALE * List established by Article 21 Committee on 22 February 2005

10. 2 – How will the Agency work ? • 2.3 Decision-making principles • No decision power for the Agency. The Agency makes recommendations to the Commission Decision Opinion Article 21 Committee Commission Agency Working party… Working party … Social Partners Working party… Passengers / customers

11. 2 – How will the Agency work ? • 2.4 Governance and controls • The Administrative board: • 1 representative per Member State • 4 Commission representatives • 6 representatives of sector organisations (railway undertakings, infrastructure managers, railway industry, trade unions, passengers, freight customers) – no voting rights

12. 2 – How will the Agency work ? 2.4 Governance and controls (II) • Budgetary and financial control • Evaluation • Transparency and access to documents • neutrality / impartiality • professionalism

13. 3 – The staff of the Agency 3.1 The Executive director • M. Marcel Verslype was appointed as Executive director by the Administrative board for a period of 5 years, renewable once • The Executive director appoints the other members of the Agency’s staff – all vacancies to be published on the Agency / DG TREN website

14. 3 – The staff of the Agency • Staff coming mainly from railway sector (temporary agents – contracts of maximum 5 years) • Vacancy notices published on 18 November 2004 and 16 December 2004 – other calls to come in 2005

15. 4 - Setting-up the European Railway Agency • First meeting of the Administrative Board on 15 July 2004 in Valenciennes : • Adoption of the Rules of procedure of the Board • Election of Chairman (Mr Reino Lampinen) • Adoption of the Agency's financial regulation • 2004 budget and its execution • 2005 budget • Work programme • Buildings

16. 4 - Setting-up the European Railway Agency • Second Administrative Board on 28 October 2004 decided upon: • Implementation measures for access to documents • Appointment of the Executive director (M. Marcel Verslype) • Third Administrative Board on 21 December 2004 decided upon: • Final adoption of 2005 budget (= 13 M€) • Final adoption of 2005 work programme • Fourth Administrative Board on 17 March 2005 decided upon: • The general report for 2004 • Statement of estimates for 2006 • Provision of meeting facilities in Lille • Fifth Administrative Board on 16 June 2005 decided upon: • Execution of budget 2005 • Nomination of the Account Officer (Mrs. Catherine Poncin) • Incorporation of ERA into the EEA agreement on 10 June 2005

17. 4 - Setting-up the European Railway Agency The Executive director will decide upon the internal organisation of the Agency

18. 4 - Setting-up the European Railway Agency • Seat: • Offices in Valenciennes • International meeting facilities in Lille

19. More information ? Agency provisional web page on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/index_en.html General information: www.europa.eu.int My email : olivier.piron@era.eu.int