Sustainable and Interoperable European Railway Network
Railways play a vital role in the everyday lives of millions of Europeans, offering a safe, comfortable, fast, and environmentally friendly mode of transport.
They also enable the efficient and sustainable movement of goods across Europe. Establishing a reliable and interoperable European railway network is essential.
To support this goal, European Standards developed by CEN/TC 256 ‘Railway applications’ and CLC/TC 9X ‘Electrical and electronic applications for railways’ form the backbone of railway design, manufacturing, and maintenance. These standards serve as a common reference for manufacturers, operators and infrastructure managers, fostering cross-border collaboration and ensuring compatibility across the entire European railway system.
A significant number of these standards are developed in support of Directive 2016/797/EU, the EU legislation on interoperability of the railway network.
In addition to supporting traditional railway applications, CEN and CENELEC are actively involved in the standardization of hyperloop systems a new mode of high-speed transport. European Standards are being developed to define robust requirements for this emerging technology, covering all related systems, products, services, and applications.
Contact Point: Marc-Antoine CARREIRA DA CRUZ.