EU developments
The First Railway Package
The First Railway Package is an important suite of European Directives designed to liberalise international rail freight, to establish a transparent regulatory regime for the allocation of capacity and charging for access to rail infrastructure across the EU and to create a framework for the licensing of train operators in each Member State.
Key features of the First Railway Package
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Directive 2001/12/EC
(amending 91/440/EEC) |
This Directive sets out the general framework for the development of European railways and clarifies the formal relationship between a State and the infrastructure manager on the one hand, and between the infrastructure manager and the railway undertakings (train operators) on the other hand. |
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Directive 2001/13/EC
(amending 95/18/EC) |
This Directive covers the conditions that railway undertakings must meet in order to be granted a licence to operate services on the rail network. |
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Directive 2001/14/EC
(replacing 95/19/EC) |
This Directive sets out the broad principle for capacity allocation and infrastructure charging. |
Implementing Regulations
The First Railway Package was implemented in the UK in November 2005 by:
- The Railways Infrastructure (Access and Management) Regulations 2005.
- The Railways (Licensing of Railway Undertakings) Regulations 2005.
The Second Railway Package
The Second Railway Package opens up both national and international freight services on the entire European network. It introduces structural measures to address safety and interoperability, establishes a European Rail Agency and provides an instrument for the European Community accession to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF).
Key features of the Second Railway Package
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Directive 2004/49/EC
(amending 95/18/EC and 2001/14/EC) |
Establishes a framework for the regulation and management of safety on the European railways (also known as the Railway Safety Directive). |
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Directive 2004/50/EC
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Harmonises and clarifies interoperability requirements.
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Directive 2004/51/EC
(amending 91/440/EC) |
Extends the liberalisation of rail freight to include the domestic market as well as international. |
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Decision 884/2004/EC (amending 1692/96/EC) |
Covers the development of the trans-European transport network. |
| Decision 696/2003/EC | Covers the accession of the European Community to COTIF. |
Implementing Regulations
The Second Railway Package was implemented in the UK in 2006 by:
- The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety Regulations) 2006 (ROGS).
- The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2006.
- The Railways (Access to Training Services) Regulations 2006.
Further details on these and other issues can be found on the Europa website.
