5th anniversary of ERA as the authority for Vehicle Authorisation, Safety Certification and ERTMS Trackside Approval

With the processes defined in the 4th Railway Package starting on the 16 June 2019, the Agency celebrates the 5th anniversary of its mandate to issue vehicle authorisations, single safety certificates, and ERTMS Trackside approvals. 

Instead of applying to multiple national authorities, a single application to ERA through the One-Stop-Shop (OSS), is now sufficient for vehicle authorisation or safety certification valid in several Member States and to obtain an ERTMS trackside approval prior to the authorisation for placing the infrastructure in service.

1. One Stop-Shop (OSS)

   The introduction of OSS revolutionised the way authorities and applicants work.

   Instead of multiple applications, applicants now submit a single fully electronic application for vehicle authorisation, safety certification or ERTMS trackside approval on one IT platform, in the language of their choice.

   The OSS service includes, for all applicants:

   • Single fully-digital entry point in all EU languages;
   • Secure storage for the application files and authority decisions with a retention time of 15 years;
   • Cybersecurity, back-up and disaster recovery facilities;
   • 365 days a year access;
   • Unlimited number of users;
   • Service desk support with a response time limit of 10 working days;
   • Regular training for applicants and NSAs;

2. Vehicle Authorisation

   The simplified process for vehicle authorisation enhances transparency within the European rail system.

   When ERA plays the role of authorising entity for multi-country vehicles, these authorisations are valid across all EU member states. This simplifies the process for railway companies operating cross-border, eliminating the need to obtain separate authorisations for each Member State, and promotes international traffic and market opening. The Agency is involved in key discussions between applicants and NSAs of the area of use, providing technical and legal expertise to both parties. 

   Data shows that applicants are switching to ERA as the authorising entity, even for projects where the vehicle type only covers one Member State, due to the added value ERA brings to the process. 

   The Agency has delivered so far: 

   • 6 500 Vehicle Authorisations in Conformity to Type (VA CTT);
   • 510 Vehicle Type Authorisations and Pre-Engagement opinions; 
   • The Agency has authorised 80 000 Vehicles since 2019. This represents a 2/3 of all VA CTT and 1/3 of all Vehicle Type Authorisations in the EU.

    

   

    

   

    

   

    

   

3. Safety Certification

   Acting as safety certification body, in close collaboration and cooperation with national safety authorities, ERA plays a central role:

   • In harmonising safety certification practices;
   • Gaining better insight into the content of railway undertakings’ safety management systems;
   • Ensuring that corrective and other improvement measures are taken by RUs to comply with the safety regulatory framework; 

   The interaction with national safety authorities is being reinforced through the links between safety assessment and supervision, forming a virtuous circle.

   During the last 5 years ERA has delivered 239 Single Safety Certificates, including 23 administrative updates. The Agency has issued 22% of the total number of single safety certificates delivered in the EU last year, including cross-border and single-Member State operations.

    

   

    

   

4. ERTMS Trackside Approval

   The Agency’s new role in contributing to a harmonised implementation of ERTMS in the Union includes:

   • Ensuring that the proposed ERTMS trackside technical solutions are fully compliant with the relevant Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs); 
   • And are therefore fully interoperable;

   After 5 years in this role, ERA has issued 15 ERTMS trackside approvals (2 in 2021, 2 in 2022, 10 in 2023 and 1 in 2024), with 105 applications currently ongoing in accordance with the relevant planning and tendering schedules of IMs.

    

   

    

   

    

   Inspired by the results achieved five years after the 4th Railway Package entered into force, ERA continues to fulfill its mission of shaping the future of European railways: connected, efficient, interoperable across borders and language barriers, and offering an attractive service for passengers and freight.