The European Commission has published recently amendments to the European standard for train signaling and speed control – the European Train Control System (ETCS) - which guarantees a common standard that enables trains to cross national borders and enhances safety.

Recently adopted new and revised technical specifications for interoperability are:

• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/284/EC of 6 March 2008 (notified under C(2008)807) concerning a technical specification for interoperability relating to the ‘energy’ sub-system of the trans-European high-speed rail system, published in Official Journal n° L 104 of 14 April 2008.
• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/232/EC of 21st February 2008 (notified under C(2008)648) concerning a technical specification for interoperability relating to the ‘rolling stock’ sub-system of the trans-European high-speed rail system, published in Official Journal n° L 84 of 26 March 2008.
• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/231/EC of 1st February 2008 (notified under C(2008)356) concerning the technical specification of interoperability relating to the "operation" subsystem of the trans-European high-speed rail system referred to in Article 6(1) of Council Directive 96/48/EC and repealing Commission Decision 2002/734/EC of 30 May 2002, published in Official Journal n° L 84 of 26 March 2008.
• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/164/EC of 21 December 2007 (notified under C(2007)6633) concerning the technical specification of interoperability relating to “persons with reduced mobility“ in the trans-European conventional and high speed rail system, published in Official Journal n° L 64 of 7 March 2008.
• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/163/EC of 20 December 2007 (notified under C(2007)6450) concerning the technical specification of interoperability relating to “safety in railway tunnels” in the trans-European conventional and high speed rail system, published in Official Journal n° L 64 of 7 March 2008.
• COMMISSION DECISION 2008/217/EC of 20 December 2007 (notified under C(2007)6440) concerning a technical specification for interoperability relating to the ‘infrastructure’ sub-system of the trans-European high-speed rail system, published in Official Journal n° L 77 of 19 March 2008.

European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS)

ERTMS ("European Rail Traffic Management System") is a major industrial project being implemented by Europe, a project which will serve to make rail transport safer and more competitive. One component of ERTMS, the European Train Control System (ETCS), guarantees a common standard that enables trains to cross national borders and enhances safety.

Following an intense ten year phase of research and development, validation of the ETCS standard was carried out from 2000 to 2007 with real scale projects underway in parallel. Since 2005, feedback from projects prompted the need to fine tune the specifications in order to move from local to global compatibility and ensure interoperability between all projects in Europe. The specification, as modified by a Commission Decision on 23 April 2008, now guarantees that Europe's trains equipped with ETCS can travel on any line equipped with ETCS.

The EC had recently published two public consultations.

• On a European Deployment Plan for ERTMS that was launched in November 2007 and ended last 28 February 2008.
• On the draft Guidelines on State aid to railway undertakings opened until 25 January 2008