Safety

Objective

To ensure a high-level of safety, rail IMs are committed to delivering a safe, high-performing and reliable rail network. Regarding safety, their activities are regulated in accordance with the European legislation on safety, i.e. the Railway Safety Directive (EU) 2016/798 and the related Common Safety Methods (CSMs) and, where relevant, the Directive on the Transport of Dangerous Goods 2008/68/EC. All actors operating in the railway system, including IMs and RUs, cooperate effectively to bear the full responsibility for the safety of their networks/operations within the wider railway system.

On the European level, ERA establishes and revises regulations to improve the safety of the European railway system, consulting EIM as a representative body.

EIM in action

EIM’s WG “Safety” is organised as the platform where IMs share best practices and information on their respective ‘Safety Management System’ (SMS) as well as on other topics related to railway safety.
EIM’s WG “Safety” contributes to all safety-related activities of ERA.
EIM cooperates with the entire rail sector to achieve improvements in railway regulation and safety, including participation in the ‘System Safety Management Group’ (SSMG).
EIM’s WG “Safety” participates in the Group of Analysts and its subgroups of the CSM ASLP (common safety methods for the assessment of the safety level and the safety performance) to contribute to collective learning and the improvement of railway safety.
EIM’s experts participated in various JNS Safety investigations, which are facilitated by ERA.

EIM actions in 2025

EIM’s WG “Safety” have reviewed and commented the draft CSM ASLP proposals, promoting the interest of EIM members for an effective CSM legal text.
EIM’s WG “Safety” are following the ‘AsBo Cooperation Group’, which has the task to harmonise the work of the assessment bodies (AsBo).
EIM’s WG “Safety” participated in the development of the AsBo assessment scheme.
EIM’s WG “Safety” participated in the EU Safety Culture WG exchanging good practices on a positive and just safety culture.
EIM experts participated in the JNS procedure ‘Crosswind’ (after the Great Belt Bridge accident in Denmark)
EIM participated in drafting a sector letter to the EC on the ERA CSM Review Vision document. This document prepares for an ERA mandate to revise the existing CSMs.
EIM’s WG “Safety” shared learning from railway accidents.

Outlook 2026

EIM WG “Safety” will review the ERA mandate on the revision of the CSMs
EIM’s WG “Safety” will actively participate in the review and public consultation of the draft CSM ASLP.
EIM WG “Safety” will exchange views with ERA on responsibilities of shared risks as part of JNS Crosswind activities.
EIM’s WG “Safety” will continue supporting ERA in its activities to promote the safety culture.
EIM’s WG “Safety” will continue working with all relevant ERA WPs (CSM ASLP; HOF; TDG and AsBo Cooperation and the to be initiated CSMs Revision).
EIM’s WG “Safety” will continue participating in the development of the AsBo assessment scheme.
EIM’s WG “Safety” will continue sharing best practices within the railway sector.

Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council on railway safety (recast)

EU LEGISLATION INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGERS

Objective

Railway tunnels present a higher risk for the safety of train passengers and on-board staff during operations due to their confined space. Derailments, collisions and particularly fire can have potentially catastrophic consequences. Hence, preventive and mitigating safety measures are necessary to reduce specific tunnel risks. In addition to the Railway Safety Directive (EU) 2016/798 applying to all infrastructures, specific requirements for tunnels have consequently been developed in the Regulation (EU) 1303/2014 on ‘Technical Specification for Interoperability for Safety in Railway Tunnels’ (TSI SRT). The TSI SRT defines a coherent set of tunnel specific measures for the infrastructure, energy, rolling stock, control-command and signalling and operation subsystems, thus delivering an optimal level of safety in tunnels in the most cost-efficient way.

EIM in action

EIM’s WG SRT advises EIM internally on technical issues related to safety in railway tunnels.
Experts of EIM’s WG SRT participate (when applicable) externally in the ERA’s consultations and represent EIM’s common positions on the technical issues related to safety in railway tunnels discussed in ERA’s WG’s/TWG’s.
EIM’s WG SRT meets regularly to exchange knowledge and best practices within the field of safety in railway tunnels as well as to follow the workstream of the ERA.

EIM in actions in 2025

Change request regarding fire protection of cables in tunnels submitted. 
Change request regarding fire resistance of tunnel structures in application guide submitted. 
Review of application guide revisions/changes. 
Exchanged knowledge and best practices regarding (among others):
Exercise related to tunnel safety in built/existing tunnels. 
- Definition of adjacent independent tunnel tubes. 
- Design and verification of water supply for rescue services. 
- Hot box axle detectors.

Outlook 2026

Put pressure on ERA to speed up the process of revising the current TSI SRT.
At least two meetings (virtual)
Focus on CR’s where applicable/needed
Continuous exchange of knowledge and best practices exchanges, e.g., by presenting and discussing lessons learned from past incidents, technical methods, research and development, etc.