ERTMS deployment MoU signed at InnoTrans

On the 20th September the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Railways, the UIC and European rail sector organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will lead to greater cooperation on the deployment of ERTMS, the European Rail Traffic Management System.

In the presence of European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport Violeta Bulc, the 4th version of the MoU was signed by the UIC as well representatives of European associations or industry groups including, CER, EIM, EPTTOLA, ERFA, the ERTMS Users Group, the GSM-R Industry Group, UNIFE and UNISIG.

‘ERTMS can only result from a commonly agreed, collective, disciplined and structured approach’

Through this MoU, all the stakeholders acknowledge that the success of ERTMS can only result from a commonly agreed, collective, disciplined and structured approach. They all recognise the added-value that the longer term perspectives of ERTMS will bring to the efficiency of the railway system and the overall objective for interoperability.
 
To that end, the Memorandum has the following specific objectives:

• To achieve and maintain compatibility in legal and technical terms. Maintaining compatibility entails that the game changers will not create technical barriers to accessing infrastructure,
• Reach the best economic and environmental performance by deploying ERTMS under optimal revenue, cost and financial conditions, and speed-up ERTMS deployment in the EU,
• Protect investments made in CCS (Control Command & Signalling) TSI compliant systems and products 

In signing this new Memorandum the signatories “acknowledge the expertise and relevant activities in promoting ERTMS specific to UIC, the ERTMS Users Group and UNISIG. These contributions are essential for the successful implementation of the system”.

UIC Director General Jean-Pierre Loubinoux highlighted that, “this Memorandum of Understanding signed in Berlin fully takes into account and recognises the continuous involvement and commitment of the railway operating community through the UIC. Since the early 1990s there has been consistent work undertaken in defining the functional requirements and specifications for ETCS and GSM-R and accompanying all activities aimed at the deployment of this interoperable traffic management system. The UIC ERTMS conferences organised every two or three years in close cooperation with all actors including European institutions, the railways and the manufacturing industry, most recently in 2016 in Brussels, provides a unique forum for exchange of experience and best practice between all stakeholders involved in ERTMS deployment. UIC also offers the expertise of its expert teams to work toward effective, secure and international solutions.”