Introduction of the 4th Railway Package changes the landscape of the European railway transport market. Unification of regulations concerning the issuing of single safety certificates as well as the authorisations for placing in service requires coordination of activities on the EU level. That’s why the European Agency for Railways becomes a significant management entity with regard to the safety of railways.
- Agency’s new tasks, regarding safety certification, authorisations for placing in service or implementation of ERTMS bear great responsibility – said Ignacy Góra, the President of UTK, before the signing ceremony. – Effectiveness and success of Agency’s performance of these tasks will directly influence the functioning of the European market of railway services and European railway industry – he underlined.
- This is a truly historic moment. We've discussed the 4th Railway Package and I understand that there are some concers, but also strong optimism with regard to these regulations. We've cooperated with UTK for many years now, not only in connection with the Package. The agreement we signed today is the testimony to this good cooperation – said Josef Doppelbauer, Executive Director of EUAR.
Also present at the ceremony were Mr. Andrzej Bittel, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, as well as Mr. Krzysztof Mamiński, Chairman of PKP S.A. group. - Good cooperation between UTK and the Agency is the result of the fact, that both Director Doppelbauer and President Góra are friends of railways, especially Polish railways - admitted Mr. Bittel.
The agreement outlines the framework of cooperation between the entities. UTK will provide its positions, specifying the fulfilment of national requirements within the processes of issuing of single safety certificates and authorisations for placing in service. Polish experts from UTK will – together with Agency’s executives – evaluate the documentation with regard to its compliance with TSI and common safety methods. The applications of railway undertakings will be processed through OSS – one-stop-shop, a complex service tool. OSS is a single contact point, through which all applications for single safety certificates, authorisations for placing in service, as well as ERTMS certification approval should be submitted.
The regulations of the 4th Railway Package will go in effect as of 16 June 2020. From this date Polish railway carriers and manufacturers will enter into competition on equal terms with their counterparts from other EU member states.