Ref. Ares(2022)5166047 - 15/07/2022
ERTMS
Second Work Plan of the
European Coordinator
Matthias Ruete
JULY 2022
Mobility
and Transport
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
July 2022
This report represents the opinion of the European Coordinator and does not prejudice the official
position of the European Commission. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of
the data included in this report. Neither the Commission nor any person acting on the Commission’s
behalf may be held responsible for any potential use which may be made of the information contained
herein.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Content
List of figures and tables ................................................................................................................4
Acronyms and abbreviations .........................................................................................................7
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 10
2 Stocktaking of the ERTMS deployment ........................................................................... 13
2.1 Trackside deployment according to the EDP .......................................................................... 13
1. 2.1.1 Evolution of the ERTMS deployment ............................................................................... 16
2. 2.1.2 By corridor, in the short term (2023) ................................................................................ 20
3. 2.1.3 By corridor, in the long term (2030).................................................................................. 21
4. 2.1.4 By Member State, in the short term (2023)...................................................................... 22
5. 2.1.5 By Member State, in the long term (2030) ....................................................................... 24
2.2 Rolling stock deployment........................................................................................................ 25
2.3 Deployment outside the European Union .............................................................................. 26
2.4 Funding ................................................................................................................................... 28
6. 2.4.1 Funding from 2007 to 2020 ................................................................................................ 28
7. 2.4.2 Lessons learnt ..................................................................................................................... 29
8. 2.4.3 Connecting Europe Facility 2021-2027, ESIF and Recovery and Resilience Fund .. 30
3 Next steps .................................................................................................................................. 32
3.1 Policy background ................................................................................................................... 32
3.2 Outlook of ERTMS deployment by 2030 and 2040 ................................................................. 32
9. 3.2.1 Trackside .............................................................................................................................. 32
10. 3.2.2 On-board ............................................................................................................................... 37
3.3 Challenges and opportunities ................................................................................................. 42
3.4 Preparing future evolution ..................................................................................................... 50
11. 3.4.1 TEN-T Guidelines revision ................................................................................................. 50
12. 3.4.2 2022 CCS TSI revision ........................................................................................................ 52
13. 3.4.3 Europe’s Rail JU & System Pillar...................................................................................... 54
4 Conclusions of the European Coordinator for ERTMS................................................ 57
Annex I ERTMS deployment on the 9 Core Network Corridors .................................... 62
Annex II State of play of EDPs .................................................................................................. 89
Annex III State of play of cross border sections ................................................................ 95
Annex IV ERTMS governance ..................................................................................................... 97
Annex V EU requirements for ERTMS deployment .......................................................... 101
Annex VI Evolution of ERTMS .................................................................................................. 106
Annex VII CEF supported ERTMS Actions’ portfolio managed by CINEA ................ 109
Annex VIII Examples of national schemes addressing the challenge of retrofitting
...................................................................................................................................................... 113
Annex IX Glossary ........................................................................................................................ 126
Contact.............................................................................................................................................. 129
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
List of figures and tables
Figures
Figure 1 Indicative number of CNC km for each year according to the EDP and the TEN-T Guidelines 13
Figure 2 ETCS current status of CNC lengths expected according to TEN-T Guidelines and EDP by 2023
and by 2030 ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Figure 3 ETCS deployment status in CNC in June 2022 ......................................................................... 15
Figure 4 GSM-R deployment by corridor............................................................................................... 16
Figure 5 ETCS deployment progress against the EDP targets per year (2017-2023) ............................ 18
Figure 6 Sections planned in the EDP by 2021 but not in operation yet .............................................. 19
Figure 7 Member States plans per year for delayed sections ............................................................... 20
Figure 8 Vehicles equipped with ERTMS per country ........................................................................... 25
Figure 9 Renewal fleet between 2015 – 2019 ....................................................................................... 26
Figure 10 Non-EU countries which have ERTMS installed or planned in the future............................. 27
Figure 11 Based on national plans and current progress, expected trackside ERTMS deployment per
MS, including NO and CH ...................................................................................................................... 33
Figure 12 Based on National Plans, expected ERTMS trackside status by 2040 ................................... 34
Figure 13 Reviewed ERTMS deployment plans by 2040 in EU27 + NO + CH ........................................ 36
Figure 14 Total fleet to be equipped with ERTMS - low bound ........................................................... 37
Figure 15 Total fleet to be equipped with ERTMS - high bound ........................................................... 37
Figure 16 EU fleet per age group........................................................................................................... 38
Figure 17 Number of vehicles to be equipped with ETCS planned per year ......................................... 39
Figure 18 Number of additional interoperable vehicles by year and by Member State ...................... 40
Figure 19 Type of work in vehicles by Member State ........................................................................... 41
Figure 20 Vicious circle of ERTMS deployment ..................................................................................... 43
Figure 21 Comparison of financial costs for the railway system in the different scenarios ................. 45
Figure 22 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Atlantic Corridor ............................................. 62
Figure 23 Atlantic Corridor ERTMS deployment plan ........................................................................... 63
Figure 24 Atlantic Corridor ERTMS deployment status......................................................................... 64
Figure 25 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor................................... 65
Figure 26 Baltic-Adriatic ERTMS deployment plan................................................................................ 66
Figure 27 Baltic-Adriatic Corridor ERTMS deployment status .............................................................. 67
Figure 28 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Mediterranean Corridor ................................. 68
Figure 29 Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan ............................................................... 69
Figure 30 Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status ............................................................. 70
Figure 31 ETCS deployment by Member States on the North Sea-Baltic Corridor ............................... 71
Figure 32 North Sea-Baltic Corridor ERTMS deployment plan .............................................................. 72
Figure 33 North Sea-Baltic Corridor ERTMS deployment status ........................................................... 73
Figure 34 ETCS deployment by Member States on the North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor ............... 74
Figure 35 North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan .............................................. 75
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 36 North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status ........................................... 76
Figure 37 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor ........... 77
Figure 38 Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan .......................................... 78
Figure 39 Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status ....................................... 79
Figure 40 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor..................................... 80
Figure 41 Rhine-Alpine Corridor ERTMS deployment plan ................................................................... 81
Figure 42 Rhine-Alpine Corridor ERTMS deployment status ................................................................ 82
Figure 43 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Rhine-Danube Corridor .................................. 83
Figure 44 Rhine-Danube Corridor ERTMS deployment plan ................................................................. 84
Figure 45 Rhine-Danube Corridor ERTMS deployment status .............................................................. 85
Figure 46 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor .......... 86
Figure 47 Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan ......................................... 87
Figure 48 Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status ...................................... 88
Figure 49 ETCS deployment status in CNC in June 2022 ....................................................................... 95
Figure 50 ERTMS vehicle authorisation process ................................................................................... 99
Figure 51 ERTMS trackside authorisation process .............................................................................. 100
Figure 52 Trackside ETCS – EU obligations and exceptions................................................................. 101
Figure 53 According to EU legal obligations, expected ERTMS trackside deployment in line-km ...... 102
Figure 54 On-board ETCS – EU obligations and exceptions ................................................................ 104
Figure 55 Trackside and on-board GSM-R – EU obligations ................................................................ 104
Figure 56 ERTMS milestone timeline .................................................................................................. 107
Figure 57 Actual CEF funding for ERTMS Actions per component, EUR million (number of actions). 110
Figure 58 Actual CEF ERTMS funding per Member State and component, EUR million (number of
actions) ................................................................................................................................................ 111
Figure 59 Member States with ERTMS CEF actions ............................................................................ 112
Figure 60 Norwegian financial scheme ............................................................................................... 114
Figure 61 Dutch financing scheme (Source: Dutch ERTMS programme) ............................................ 116
Figure 62 Danish financing scheme ..................................................................................................... 119
Figure 63 Czech financing scheme ...................................................................................................... 121
Figure 64 Prospective Financials for Onboard ERTMS equipment according to the Italian ERTMS
Deployment Plan ................................................................................................................................. 124
Figure 65 Stuttgart Digital Node Project Map ..................................................................................... 125
Figure 66 Level 1.................................................................................................................................. 127
Figure 67 Level 2.................................................................................................................................. 127
Figure 68 Level 3.................................................................................................................................. 128
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Tables
Table 1 Acronyms and abbreviation........................................................................................................ 9
Table 2 Summary of the state of play of the ERTMS deployment ........................................................ 17
Table 3 ETCS status by corridor - 2023 .................................................................................................. 21
Table 4 ETCS status by corridor - 2030 .................................................................................................. 21
Table 5 ETCS status by country - 2023 .................................................................................................. 23
Table 6 ETCS status by country - 2030 .................................................................................................. 24
Table 7 EDP overview 2017 ................................................................................................................... 89
Table 8 EDP overview 2018 ................................................................................................................... 89
Table 9 EDP overview 2019 ................................................................................................................... 89
Table 10 EDP overview 2020 ................................................................................................................. 90
Table 11 EDP overview 2021 ................................................................................................................. 90
Table 12 Summary of current status sections delayed ......................................................................... 94
Table 13 Summary CB expected by 2023 and 2030 .............................................................................. 96
Table 14 Summary CB agreements expected by 2023 and beyond 2023 ............................................. 96
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Acronyms and abbreviations
AT Austria
ATC Automatic Train Control
ATL Atlantic Corridor
ATO Automatic Train Operation
ATP Automatic Train Protection
B2 Baseline 2
B3 Baseline 3
BAC Baltic-Adriatic Corridor
BE Belgium
BG Bulgaria
CB Cross Border
CBA Cost-benefit analysis
CCS TSI Control Command and Signalling Technical Specification for
Interoperability
CEF Connecting Europe Facility
CH Switzerland
CINEA European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
CN Core Network
CNC Core Network Corridor
CTCS Chinese Train Control System
CZ Czechia
DAC Digital Automatic Coupling
DE Germany
DK Denmark
DMT ERTMS Deployment Management Team
EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
EC European Commission
EDP European Deployment Plan
EE Estonia
EGD European Green Deal
EIB European Investment Bank
EL Greece
ERA European Union Agency for Railways
ERDF European Regional Development Fund
ERTMS European Rail Traffic Management System
ES Spain
ESC ETCS System compatibility
ESIF European Structural and Investment Funds
ETCS European Train Control System
EU European Union
EU-Rail Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking
EVC European Vital Computer
FI Finland
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
FR France
FRMCS Future Radio Mobile Communication Systems
GoA Grade of Automation
GPRS General Packet Radio Service
GSM-R Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway
HR Croatia
HU Hungary
IE Ireland
IM Infrastructure Manager
IT Italy
L1 Level 1 of ERTMS
L2 Level 2 of ERTMS
LS Limited Supervision mode of ERTMS or
Czech Class B system
LT Lithuania
LU Luxembourg
LV Latvia
MED Mediterranean Corridor
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MS Member State
NIP National Implementation Plan
NL Netherlands
NO Norway
NSB North Sea-Baltic Corridor
NSM North Sea -Mediterranean Corridor
OB On-board
OBU On-board Unit
OEM Orient/East-Mediterranean Corridor
OPE TSI Operation and traffic management Technical Specification for
Interoperability
OTM On Track Machine
PL Poland
PT Portugal
RALP Rhine-Alpine Corridor
RBC Radio Block Centre
RDN Rhine-Danube Corridor
RFC Rail Freight Corridor
RISC Railway Interoperability and Safety Committee
RRF Recovery and Resilience Facility
RRP Recovery and Resilience Plans
RO Romania
RSC Radio System compatibility
RSO Rolling Stock Operator
SCM Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor
SE Sweden
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
SI Slovenia
SK Slovakia
SME Small and medium-sized enterprises
SSMS Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy
STM Specific Transmission Module
TEN-T Trans-European Transport Network
TENtec European Commission’s Information System to coordinate and
support TEN-T Policy
UK United Kingdom
Table 1 Acronyms and abbreviation
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
1 Introduction
This is my second work plan since my nomination as European Coordinator for ERTMS in January 2019.
The content of this document is a result of discussions with stakeholders with whom, despite the
pandemic, I have had more than 200 meetings, many of them in 2021, in the framework of the
European Year of Rail. Obviously, since 24 February 2022 all our work is overshadowed by Russia’s war
of aggression against Ukraine. This has also made palpable and urgent the crucial role of a performing,
interoperable European Rail system, whether for transport of people or for supply routes to and from
Ukraine. The future will also show how the Ukrainian rail system will be repaired and reconstructed,
with the ever closer link to the transeuropean transport network.
This document could not have been produced without the kind of assistance provided by, among
others, DG MOVE, ERA, CINEA, S2R/EU-Rail, CER, EIM, UNISIG, UNIFE, EUG, many representatives of
national ministries, railway companies, infrastructure managers and rail supply industries and the
ERTMS Deployment Management Team. Moreover, I would like to single out the prominent role the
European Parliament has had in providing, under the leadership of Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, an own-
initiative report and resolution on ERTMS, and my fellow coordinators for their pertinent feedback on
the issues relating to their corridors. I wish to thank all, and in particular my advisor, Marcin Wójcik,
for their availability, input, the spirit of cooperation and openness.
Since my first work plan (May 2020), the base conditions for the ERTMS deployment have vastly
improved and become more favourable for an accelerated rollout. Fighting climate change in the
framework of the Green Deal, accelerating digitalisation and mobilising recovery and resilience funds
have been endorsed at the highest political level in the EU. ERTMS is widely seen as providing solutions
in this context. The European Parliament 1 strongly backed the need for accelerated deployment, better
interoperability, sufficient funds, and stronger governance for ERTMS. The Commission, in a series of
proposals 2, communications 3 and action plans, 4 underlined the central importance of ERTMS for
sustainable and smarter mobility.
My major message in this work plan is that we are on the threshold of moving to a Single European
Signalling and Safety System, which will form the basis for a true European Traffic Management
System. Major renewal, both of infrastructure and rail fleets, is happening now and over the next
fifteen years. If we do not seize this opportunity for a joint modernisation, we are probably, given the
long lifecycle for innovation in railways, squandering a once in a lifetime chance. We will then remain
with a patchwork of approaches, struggling just to ensure interoperability. Many actors in the railway
1
EP resolution of 7 July 2021, P9_TE(2021)0327
2
Commission proposal for a regulation on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport
network of 14 December 2021, COM (2021)812
3
Commission Communication on sustainable and smart mobility of 9 December 2020, COM (2020) 789 final
4
Commission Communication, Action Plan to boost long distance and cross-border Passenger rail, 14 December
2021, COM (2021) 810 final
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
world have realised this. Our objective must now be to ensure the necessary political backing for what
is a major European industrial project for the digitalisation of railways throughout the European Union.
We need accelerated, synchronised deployment of ERTMS for the whole TEN-T network, and the
vehicles using it, by 2040, with a strong push on the Core Network already for 2030, a solid move to a
radio-based ERTMS, a deadline for phasing out national signalling systems, a major renewal and
refurbishment of locomotives and trainsets, better conditions for the mobilisation of public funds (EU,
national and regional) and private capital, and better transition management of technological progress
ensuring that investments can be made in a predictable environment. This necessary acceleration of
ERTMS constitutes a unique opportunity to pursue a broader harmonisation beyond the strict ERTMS
with a view to achieving an all-encompassing European rail management system. To further all this,
we need better governance of this process, guaranteeing a holistic and synchronised system approach.
Most of the building blocks required have either already been put in place or at least proposed.
However, some key elements to ensure this approach are still waiting to be turned into reality.
Moreover, the financial situation of both railway undertakings and infrastructure managers has been
severely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, figures for both passengers and freight are still
lower than before the crisis, and the significant increase of electricity prices which creates huge
concern regarding the competitiveness of the green electric railway haulage, especially for the rail
freight where the public service contracts do not cover the extracosts. Major worries are the timely
equipment of vehicles and the rapid transition to a radio-based ERTMS, including the transition to
FRMCS, the need to industrialise the deployment, embracing all actors, and stronger coordination and
governance of ERTMS rollout everywhere.
My second work plan gives an overview of where we stand exactly (with a cut-off date of June 2022),
analyses the next steps, and draws conclusions on what needs to be done and what is still missing.
The first part takes stock of the state of play of the ERTMS deployment, both on-board and trackside.
The work plan provides both aggregated figures at the EU level and detailed data in a breakdown by
Member State and corridor. This information is complemented by an overview of the deployment
situation, both on-board and trackside, outside Europe. Then I report on the past ERTMS funding
possibilities and lessons learnt. Finally, I outline the new funding sources aimed at supporting ERTMS
deployment.
In the second part, the focus is on the envisaged next steps both as regards infrastructure and rolling
stock. Furthermore, I try to identify challenges and opportunities. This is followed by a description of
the envisaged scope of the forthcoming revision of the technical specification for interoperability
relating to the CCS and a precis of the ERTMS relevant provisions of the proposed new TEN-T
Guidelines. Finally, this part outlines the role of the new Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking and the
System Pillar.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
In the third part, you will find my conclusions as European Coordinator for ERTMS. I sum up the
necessary steps that can be taken already in anticipation of political decisions and the actions I will
take as coordinator to contribute to the transformation of ERTMS into the single signalling system that
Europe needs to make its climate change and digitalisation aspirations a reality.
The annexes contain detailed information on ERTMS deployment on the 9 Core Network Corridors;
progress of the EDP; analysis of cross-border agreements; ERTMS governance, including a description
of the different steps needed to obtain authorisation track-side and on-board; review of EU
requirements for ERTMS deployment; an overview of the evolution of ERTMS; a presentation of the
portfolio of CEF supported ERTMS actions managed by CINEA; an update on existing national schemes
to further on-board deployment; and a glossary of the key notions.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
2 Stocktaking of the ERTMS deployment
2.1 Trackside deployment according to the EDP
The current TEN-T Guidelines 5 establish ERTMS as one of the priorities for railway infrastructure
development and set out a deadline for its deployment on the Core Network by 2030 and on the
Comprehensive Network by 2050. In January 2017, based on the TEN-T Guidelines, the European
Commission adopted the ERTMS European Deployment Plan (EDP) 6 that sets out deadlines for
deploying ERTMS on some sections of the Core Network Corridors (CNC) covering the 2017-2023
period. The number of km planned for each year in the EDP and the TEN-T Guidelines for the CNC are
shown in the figure below.
Figure 1 Indicative number of CNC km for each year according to the EDP and the TEN-T Guidelines
The analysis of the progress made, measured against the 2017 EDP, is based on EU-27 alignment and
does not cover sections of the CNC that were included by the CEF 2 Regulation 7.
Overall, it can be ascertained that 48% of the length planned in the EDP by the end of 2022 (i.e. 13
487km) has been already achieved by end-June 2022. At the same time, 42% (or 6 555 km) of the
15 700 km planned to be put in operation by 2023, according to the EDP, have been already
commissioned.
In July 2021, the CEF 2 Regulation extended the CNC by 9 680 km. In total, the length of the CNC,
including CEF 2 extensions and excluding sections in the United Kingdom, amounts at present to 59 055
km 8.
5
Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on Union
guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network
6
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6 on the European Rail Traffic Management System European
deployment plan on 5 January 2017
7
Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the
Connecting Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014
8
Sections belong to CNC according to the TENtec Interactive Map Viewer in September 2021, that includes CEF
2 sections, are considered to define the CNC length.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
At the end of June 2022 9, 14% of the revised CNC network (i.e. 59 055km) was in operation with
ETCS 10 (i.e. 7 965km) and 60% with GSM-R. 11 The following charts indicate the current ETCS status of
the CNC sections, expected according to the EDP by 2023 (15 700 km) and the TEN-T Guidelines by
2030 (57 170 km), including CEF 2 extension and excluding UK sections, and taking into consideration
exemptions.
Figure 2 ETCS current status of CNC lengths expected according to TEN-T Guidelines and EDP by 2023 and by 2030
There are 200 km already in operation that was not foreseen in the EDP to be put in operation before
2023, and an additional 1 210 km in operation on sections belonging to the CEF 2 extension. Sections
belonging to the CEF 2 extension are, at present, not included in the current EDP.
According to the TEN-T Guidelines, CEF 2 sections belonging to the Core Network should be equipped
by 2030 and the remaining CEF 2 sections by 2050.
Based on the Member States data, 14 445 km on the CNC are planned to be equipped with ETCS by
2023, although only 11 645 km of them are legally required in the EDP by 2023. In total 40 875 km on
the CNC are planned by Member States to have ETCS in operation by 2030.
The following map presents the current status of the ETCS deployment on the CNC. The dotted lines
are those added to the CNC by the CEF 2 extension. According to TEN-T Guidelines 12, the Irish
9
All information related to deployment data are gathered from DMT database. DMT database is based on
national implementations plans, official information provided by MS and information gathered from news.
10
Lines equipped with non-interoperable ETCS baseline (e.g. pre-baseline 2) are not considered as equipped with
ETCS in the figures included in this Work Plan.
11
ETCS and GSM-R constitute at present the two components of ERTMS, see Annex IX. All data provided in this
work plan are based on the alignment of the Core Network Corridors and deployment deadlines as set out in the
EDP in force.
12
Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013, article 39. 2 a) “Isolated networks are exempt from (…) full deployment of
ERTMS.”.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
network 13 and lines that do not belong to Rail Baltica in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania 14 are exempt
from the obligation to fully deploy ERTMS.
Figure 3 ETCS deployment status in CNC in June 2022
The ETCS deployment per corridor and per Member State is described in the following sections.
13
Irish network will be equipped with GSM-R. Whilst the Irish network is exempt from mandatory deployment
of ERTMS, it is planned that the whole Irish network will be equipped with Level 1 ETCS by 2040. It is not intended
to deploy Level 2 or Level 3 on this isolated network.
14
Rail Baltica sections in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be equipped with ETCS.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Regarding the GSM-R deployment, there are 35 509 km equipped with GSM-R on the CNC (60%) and
an additional 7 125 km are already covered by contracts signed with suppliers (12%). Out of the nine
CNC, the most advanced in terms of GSM-R deployment is RALP, with 99% of its length already
equipped, while GSM-R deployment on other corridors ranges between 39% and 93%.
The deployment of GSM-R per corridor is presented in the graph below.
Figure 4 GSM-R deployment by corridor
2.1.1 Evolution of the ERTMS deployment
The Commission services closely monitor the ERTMS deployment. The following table summarises the
current state of play of the ETCS deployment on the CNC.
June 2023 2030
December
2022 (planned) (planned)
2016 December December December December
(including (including (including
(Baseline 2017 2018 2019 2020
KPI CEF 2 CEF 2 CEF 2
EDP, (including (including (including (including
extension, extension, extension,
including UK) UK) UK) UK)
excluding excluding excluding
UK)
UK) UK)) UK))
ETCS in 7% 9% 10% 11% 12% 14% 31% 97%
operation
3 775 km 4 485 km 5 307 km 5 829 km 6 796 km 7 965 km 15 703 km 57 170 Km
(% and km)
Cross
0/46 + 3 3/46 + 3 3/46 + 4 3/46 + 4 3/49 + 4
border 0 /46 21/49 49/49
additional additional additional additional additional
agreements
Cross
border 4/65 5/65 7/65 7/65 7/65 7/70 23/70 70/70
status
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
June 2023 2030
December
2022 (planned) (planned)
2016 December December December December
(including (including (including
(Baseline 2017 2018 2019 2020
KPI CEF 2 CEF 2 CEF 2
EDP, (including (including (including (including
extension, extension, extension,
including UK) UK) UK) UK)
excluding excluding excluding
UK)
UK) UK)) UK))
CB status
- 0/1 1/1 1/1 1/1 1/1 - -
2017 (EDP)
CB status
- - 1/5 1/5 1/5 1/5 - -
2018 (EDP)
CB status
- - - 0/0 0/0 0/0 - -
2019 (EDP)
CB status
- - - - 0/4 0/4 - -
2020 (EDP)
CB status
- - - - - 0/0 - -
2021 (EDP)
Compliance
with EDP - 74% 87% 91% 93% 93% -
-
1 037 km 1 231 km 1 287 km 1 308 km 1 308 km
2017
Compliance
with EDP - 15% 18% 40% 40% -
- -
267 Km 328 km 727 km 727 km
2018
Compliance
with EDP - 0% 0% 0% -
- - -
0 km 0 km 0 km
2019
Compliance
with EDP - 16% 18% -
- - - -
649 km 712 km
2020
Compliance
with EDP - - 0% -
- - - -
2021 0 km
Table 2 Summary of the state of play of the ERTMS deployment
It should be noted that until the end of 2020, the UK was covered by the monitoring of ERTMS
deployment. However, following Brexit, the deployment of ERTMS in the UK has not been monitored
anymore. Furthermore, following the adoption of the new CEF 2 Regulation in 2021, the new CNC
sections (i.e. CEF 2 extensions) have been included in the monitoring process.
It is important to highlight that five years after the publication of the EDP, there are 4 600 km that are
delayed. Most of the delayed sections are under construction (87%). Several Member States have
already communicated in their National Implementation Plans (NIPs) a delay for some lines relative to
their EDP targets. The km planned by 2021 that are delayed are the following ones:
• 102 km out of the 1 410 km foreseen in the EDP for 2017 are delayed.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
• 1 072 km out of the 1 799 km foreseen in the EDP for 2018 are delayed.
• 188 km out of the 188 km foreseen in the EDP for 2019 are delayed.
• 3 233 km out of the 3 945 km foreseen in the EDP for 2020 are delayed.
• 774 km out of the 774 km foreseen in the EDP for 2021 are delayed.
In addition, there are 1 628 km planned to be commissioned with ETCS in 2022 and as of June 2022
most of those lines are not ETCS operational yet. The ETCS deployment progress against the EDP
targets per year is presented in the graph below.
Figure 5 ETCS deployment progress against the EDP targets per year (2017-2023)
Furthermore, the lines delayed (i.e. sections planned in the EDP by 2021 but not in operation yet) are
shown in the map below.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 6 Sections planned in the EDP by 2021 but not in operation yet
The following bar chart presents the number of kilometres of delayed sections with their new delivery
deadlines and their current status. The kilometres indicated in the 2020 and 2021 bars correspond to
those sections that are still not ETCS in operation, although they were planned for 2020 and 2021
according to the latest available information provided by the Member States.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 7 Member States plans per year for delayed sections
The cross-border sections are critical for the deployment of ERTMS, as they impact the business case
of railway undertakings. The cross-border sections should allow a seamless connection between
national lines and thus a whole origin-destination route with ERTMS as the only signalling system. For
this reason, the coordination of deployment dates and technical solutions was set as one of the
priorities in the EDP. Despite this and the obligation in the EDP regarding the conclusion of cross-border
agreements 15, only seven cross-border agreements have been notified to the Commission to this date.
It should be noted that in the CEF 2 extension, five additional cross-border sections have been included
in the CNC. More information on the state of play of cross borders is presented in Annex III.
2.1.2 By corridor, in the short term (2023)
The ETCS status on CNC expressed in terms of number and percentage of km to be equipped by 2023
is compiled below by corridor. The CNC with the highest number of km to be equipped by 2023 are
highlighted in purple:
15
Article 2(3) of EDP (Regulation (EU) 2017/6) stipulates that "railway infrastructure managers shall, after having
consulted the railway undertakings affected, sign an agreement on technical and operational aspects of the
deployment for each cross-border section"… "not later than one year before the earlier of the deployment dates
for the given cross-border section", and "Member States (MS) shall notify such agreements to the Commission
not later than one month after the conclusion"
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
ETCS in operation &
Length to be ETCS in operation
Current ETCS in Current ETCS in Contracts signed
KPI equipped by 2023 & ETCS under
operation (Km) operation (%) (including Framework
(Km) construction (%)
Contracts) (%)
ATL 1.758,89 1.053,11 60 89 89
BAC 2.100,54 1.284,67 61 86 86
MED 3.134,70 1.654,10 53 96 96
NSB 1.776,45 564,86 32 82 89
NSM 1.565,43 799,14 51 81 100
OEM 2.762,49 673,61 24 91 91
RALP 2.272,89 990,18 44 90 99
RDN 2.062,23 400,57 19 99 99
SCM 1.848,95 687,24 37 71 89
Table 3 ETCS status by corridor - 2023
The CNC with the highest number of km to be deployed by 2023 are MED, OEM and RALP. Their “ETCS
in operation” rates are 53%, 24% and 44%, respectively. Nevertheless, when taking into account the
km of sections in operation and under construction, the rate increases to 96% for MED, 91% for OEM
and 90% for RALP corridors. SCM corridor with 71% has the lowest “ETCS in operation and ETCS under
construction” rate of all corridors. The NSM corridor is the only one in which all their sections planned
by 2023 in the EDP are already operational or with projects signed, including the framework
contracts 16.
2.1.3 By corridor, in the long term (2030)
The ETCS status on CNC in terms of number and percentage of km to be equipped by 2030 is compiled
below. The CNC with the highest number of km to be equipped by 2030 are highlighted in purple:
ETCS in operation &
Length to be ETCS in operation
Current ETCS in Current ETCS in Contracts signed
KPI equipped by 2030 & ETCS under
operation (Km) operation (%) (including Framework
(Km) construction (%)
Contracts) (%)
ATL 11.103,97 1.183,94 11 26 26
BAC 4.912,91 1.404,94 29 40 40
MED 11.325,00 2.082,16 18 41 41
NSB 7.870,64 952,00 12 28 30
NSM 5.025,54 799,14 16 25 33
OEM 6.478,64 700,32 11 45 45
RALP 3.461,79 990,18 29 65 72
RDN 5.908,22 400,57 7 41 41
SCM 11.913,85 1.244,44 10 26 53
Table 4 ETCS status by corridor - 2030
16
Framework contracts are contracts covering the deployment of ETCS either on the whole or on significant parts
of the network of a given Member State. This is the case of Belgium, Denmark, Norway or Sweden.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
The CNC with the highest deployment rate are BAC (29%) and RALP (29%). The remaining CNC have a
deployment rate between 7% and 18%. RDN and OEM have very low rates, although some lines on
those CNC had been deployed with a pre-baseline 2, which is not a legal baseline anymore and is thus
not taken into consideration for statistical reasons in the table above.
Detailed information on the ERTMS deployment on the nine CNC is presented in Annex I.
2.1.4 By Member State, in the short term (2023)
The ETCS status by Member State, including Norway and Switzerland, expressed in terms of number
and percentage of km to be equipped on the CNC by 2023, is compiled below. Member States with the
highest number of km to be equipped by 2023 are highlighted in purple.
Spain is the country with the greatest number of km to be equipped with ETCS (i.e. 2 294.3 Km) in the
short term (i.e. 2023). It has, however, already 62% of them in operation and has gathered great
expertise on this system. This should reduce the time needed for the implementation of ERTMS
projects that are ongoing.
Next to Spain, Germany and Poland are the Member States which have the second and third highest
number of km in operation plus under construction. These Member States are also among the
countries with the highest number of km to be equipped by 2023. In contrast with Spain, the
percentage of km in operation in Germany and Poland with respect to the number of km foreseen by
2023 is only 13% and 34%, respectively.
There are four countries, i.e. Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which have all their lines
covered by framework contracts. However, Sweden and Norway have no sections required to be
operational by 2023, according to the EDP.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
ETCS in operation &
Length to be ETCS in operation
Current ETCS in Current ETCS in Contracts signed
KPI equipped by 2023 & ETCS under
operation (Km) operation (%) (including Framework
(Km) construction (%)
Contracts) (%)
Austria 619,41 296,37 48 58 58
Belgium 1.205,67 606,36 50 66 100
Bulgaria 626,12 225,94 36 87 87
Croatia 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Czech Republic 863,28 474,05 55 87 87
Denmark 503,93 61,16 12 34 100
Estonia 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Finland 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
France 1.081,04 759,76 70 100 100
Germany 1.560,12 196,11 13 97 97
Greece 627,74 0,00 0 100 100
Hungary 799,59 0,00 0 97 97
Ireland 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Italy 1.435,28 557,29 39 87 87
Latvia 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Lithuania 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Luxembourg 85,69 85,69 100 100 100
Netherlands 307,23 307,23 100 100 100
Norway 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Poland 1.664,10 559,57 34 89 89
Portugal 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Romania 740,31 40,15 5 100 100
Slovakia 296,83 186,94 63 97 97
Slovenia 475,01 291,40 61 95 95
Spain 2.294,30 1.411,04 62 88 88
Sweden 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Switzerland 517,58 495,80 96 100 100
Table 5 ETCS status by country - 2023
ETCS was deployed on the whole network of Luxembourg at the end of 2017. The Netherlands has
already finalised the deployment of the sections planned by 2023 as well. Switzerland has all its
sections either deployed or under construction (only 4% pending), and operation without restrictions
on the whole Swiss network was planned by 2021.
France has already 70% of the km planned in the EDP by 2023 in operation, and the remaining sections
planned by 2023 are under construction.
France, Greece, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Romania and Switzerland have their sections planned
by 2023 in the EDP, either in operation or under construction. Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Hungry,
Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain have an ETCS deployment progress rate (i.e. ETCS in
operation or under construction) well above 80 %.
The ERTMS deployment in Denmark is the lowest by far, and only one CNC line has been already
commissioned. However, Denmark has two framework contracts covering all of its state-owned
network with the aim to finalise the deployment on the entire network by 2030. The progress rate for
the deployment of ETCS in Austria (below 60 %) leaves a clear room for acceleration in order to meet
the EDP deadlines.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Additional efforts should be made in Italy, Poland and Germany in view of the length of the network
to be equipped and the low percentages that are in operation at present.
2.1.5 By Member State, in the long term (2030)
The ETCS status by Member State, including Norway and Switzerland, expressed in terms of number
and percentage of km to be equipped on CNC by 2030, is compiled below. The Member States with
the highest number of km to equip are highlighted in purple:
ETCS in ETCS in operation &
Length to be
Current ETCS in Current ETCS in operation & Contracts signed
KPI equipped by
operation (Km) operation (%) ETCS under (including Framework
2030 (Km)
construction (%) Contracts) (%)
Austria 1.181,62 296,37 25 43 43
Belgium 1.280,65 606,36 47 62 100
Bulgaria 1.246,25 225,94 18 44 44
Croatia 387,14 0,00 0 20 20
Czech Republic 1.541,97 474,05 31 53 53
Denmark 920,45 145,98 16 32 100
Estonia 166,64 0,00 0 0 0
Finland 1.296,75 0,00 0 5 5
France 8.769,70 832,15 9 16 16
Germany 8.502,71 235,58 3 22 22
Greece 1.542,73 0,00 0 58 58
Hungary 1.442,93 0,00 0 53 53
Ireland 0,00 0,00 0 0 0
Italy 5.284,71 557,72 11 39 39
Latvia 189,41 0,00 0 0 0
Lithuania 367,15 0,00 0 0 0
Luxembourg 85,69 85,69 100 100 100
Netherlands 769,96 307,23 40 40 40
Norway 208,26 0,00 0 82 100
Poland 4.526,06 826,70 18 46 46
Portugal 1.534,11 0,00 0 19 19
Romania 1.924,03 40,15 2 43 43
Slovakia 729,35 186,94 26 42 42
Slovenia 555,75 291,40 52 81 81
Spain 8.751,60 1.897,55 22 39 39
Sweden 3.446,68 459,18 13 25 100
Switzerland 517,58 495,80 96 100 100
Table 6 ETCS status by country - 2030
For the Member States with the highest number of km to be deployed, the ETCS in operation rate is
generally low (9 % in France, 3% in Germany, 11% in Italy, 18% in Poland, 22% in Spain, 13% in Sweden).
Nevertheless, when considering the km of sections under construction and in operation, these
percentages increase to 16%, 22%, 39%, 46%, 39%, 25%, respectively. Additional deployment efforts
should be made in these Member States, especially in France and Germany, which have the lowest
ETCS status rate.
In Ireland, there is no ETCS deployment yet. However, according to the latest Irish deployment plan,
the Irish network will be equipped with ETCS Level 1 by 2040. In case of the Baltic States, the lines
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
outside the Rail Baltica in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are at present exempted from the obligation to
fully deply ETCS.
As mentioned in the previous subsection, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have all their
railway sections included in framework contracts. Therefore, all their railway sections are considered
to be either already in operation or at least covered by a contract.
2.2 Rolling stock deployment
ERTMS, as a system, requires a synchronised deployment both trackside and on-board and crucial
system benefits only occur when both trains and trackside are equipped. Therefore, rolling stock
deployment is essential. Based on the data collected and cross-checked17, we estimate that between
2015 and 2019, around 5 700 vehicles were equipped with ERTMS, and at the end of 2020, more than
7 150 vehicles were equipped with ERTMS on a total of 41 665 vehicles in operation.
Figure 8 Vehicles equipped with ERTMS per country 18
Approximately 40% of the 5 700 vehicles equipped between 2015 and 2019 were new, and 60% were
retrofitted vehicles 19. As a result, only around 2 300 new vehicles with ERTMS have been put in
operation in Europe between 2015 and 2019.
17
Data for on-board equipment have been collected from multiple sources to assess the current status of on-
board deployment, i.e., data from interviews carried out by Deployment Management Team with railway
undertakings, data collected by UNIFE, data collected by ERA and additional desk research.
18
This figure also includes data for vehicles equipped after 2020. Therefore, total value is 7 787, which is higher
than the total fleet equipped at the end of 2020 (approx. 7 150), as it includes also vehicles equipped in 2021 and
2022.
19
Source: UNIFE
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Between 2015 and 2019, there was approximately 5 000 new vehicles that were put in operation in
Europe. Therefore, at least 2 700 new vehicles (around 54%), i.e. a majority, were put on the market
without ERTMS during this period.
Figure 9 Renewal fleet between 2015 – 2019
Nevertheless, based on the most recent information collected by ERA on vehicle authorization from
ERA and NSA, it seems that the trend is getting better, with the number of vehicle authorizations for
vehicles equipped with ERTMS increasing in 2020 and 2021, improving the rate of ERTMS deployment
out of the total vehicle authorizations requested by vehicle owners (above 50%).
2.3 Deployment outside the European Union
More than 53 000 km of ERTMS railway lines and 5 900 vehicles are in service or have been contracted
outside Europe 20. A vast majority of the ERTMS lines located outside Europe are new lines. Deploying
ERTMS is indeed technically simpler and faster in green field projects. The following map shows the
non-EU countries which have ERTMS installed or planned in the future.
20
Source UNIFE based on contracts signed by UNIFE Members: www.ertms.net/deployment-world-map/
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 10 Non-EU countries which have ERTMS installed or planned in the future
Some of the non-EU countries in Europe have also already ERTMS in service, i.e. Switzerland, Norway
and United Kingdom. Switzerland and Norway have railway lines that belong to the CNC, therefore,
the deployment data for Switzerland and Norway are taken into consideration in the tables and figures
included in the different sections of the work plan. United Kingdom has 469 km and 283 vehicles
equipped with ERTMS. In addition, North Macedonia and Serbia equip or plan to equip some lines of
their network with ERTMS.
Asia is, besides Europe, the most advanced continent in terms of ERTMS deployment. There are
thirteen countries in which ERTMS is already installed or under construction, with China being the
frontrunner with more than 22 000 km and more than 1 000 vehicles equipped with CTCS (Chinese
Train Control System), which was developed on the basis of ERTMS/ETCS but not fully interoperable.
After China, Turkey has more than 5 000 km and 330 vehicles, and Saudi Arabia has 4 500 km and 100
vehicles. Some countries, like Israel, have even a network-wide ERTMS deployment plan.
In Africa, there are nine countries with ERTMS in service or under construction. Of those, the countries
with the most ERTMS kilometres implemented and with an equipped fleet are Algeria and Morocco.
According to the available information, Algeria has more than 2 500 km with ERTMS implemented and
50 vehicles equipped, while Morocco has more than 1 200 km with ERTMS implemented and 100
vehicles equipped.
Four countries in America, i.e. Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay, are also deploying the system.
According to the available information, the country with the highest ERTMS deployment in this region
is Brazil, with more than 300 km and 150 equipped vehicles in service, followed by Mexico, with more
27
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
than 200 km and 50 vehicles in service. In Uruguay, more than 250 km are foreseen to be
commissioned by 2022.
In Oceania, both Australia and New Zealand have ERTMS systems installed in some sections of their
networks and vehicles of their fleet.
2.4 Funding
2.4.1 Funding from 2007 to 2020
Public support for the ERTMS deployment at the EU level, but also in some Member States, has
increased over the past years. The EU allocations for ERTMS during the period 2007-2013 amounted
to some EUR 1.2 billion (EUR 645 million from the TEN-T programme and EUR 570 million from ESIF
funding) and during the last financial perspective (2014-2020), to more than EUR 2.7 billion (EUR 842
million from the CEF programme and EUR 1.9 billion from the ESIF) 21.
During the first funding period, the TEN-T programme focused on supporting ERTMS trackside
deployment, while in the second period, with the CEF programme, the approach was to finance both
on-board and trackside.
For the period 2014-2020, a total of 93 Grant Agreements have been signed, including 47 for trackside,
44 on-board and 2 for Memorandum of Understanding activities (MoU, for instance, test campaigns,
both in the field and in laboratories). Following terminations and modifications, 36 actions have been
actually supported for trackside, representing a total length of 5 861 km of double-track lines
equivalent, mostly related to first deployment (85%), with a CEF budget of EUR 508.4 million. For on-
board, 36 actions have been supported, representing a total of 2 874 vehicles (1 565 serial retrofits,
637 upgrades, 526 fitments, 146 prototypes both for retrofit and upgrade), with a CEF budget of EUR
327.6 million. 2 actions for MoU activities have been supported with a CEF budget of EUR 5.7 million.
As part of the call for 36 actions, one action focusing on prototypes for the on-board deployment was
launched in 2019. The objective of this call was to prepare a pipeline of serial deployment projects for
the next financing period. 8 projects have been selected under this call for a total amount of EUR 41.9
million of EU support. This call will support the equipment of 68 first in class vehicles and pave the way
for an indicative serial retrofitting of more than 2 500 vehicles.
Another action undertaken as part of the CEF programme was the CEF Blending call, launched in 2017,
which supported ERTMS through innovative financing mechanisms. As a result, eight projects were
selected (7 on-board, one trackside) for a total EU funding of EUR 197 million. This new type of call
required the involvement of a financial institution as a debt provider to ensure better leverage of EU
funds and a higher maturity of projects. Based on the experience of the Blending Call, a new CEF
programme instrument called the CEF Blending Facility was released in 2019, with a budget of EUR 99
million (grants component). It is a mix of CEF grants and debt instruments paired with financing from
the EIB or national promotional banks (so-called implementing partners). The CEF Call had five cut-off
21
Data from Special Report 13 (2017) by the European Court of Auditors
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
dates for submitting the proposals during the period of over one year. As an outcome, nine on-board
projects have been selected for a total amount of more than EUR 76 million of EU support.
Finally, during the period 2014-2020, EU support was simplified, replacing the concept of ‘eligible cost’
with that of ‘unit contribution’. It implies additional simplifications at the beneficiary level both in
terms of application and reporting requirements. Furthermore, it decreases the workload for the final
closure of projects and consequently speeds up the payment procedures. Reporting and control of
ERTMS deployment actions will focus on the implementation of the supported actions, and the
achieved technical outputs rather than on the eligibility of costs incurred, reducing the workload and
scope for error of both beneficiaries and CINEA.
Annex VII includes a more detailed overview of the portfolio managed by CINEA with regards to the
ERTMS actions supported by CEF for 2014-2020, with an update of the portfolio until the 4th quarter
of 2021.
2.4.2 Lessons learnt
Under the previous financing period, different approaches aimed at the ERTMS deployment have been
tested:
• Trackside projects and on-board projects
• Retrofitting projects and fitting projects
• Regular retrofitting and upgrades of existing ERTMS equipment
• Regular retrofitting and prototypes only
• Dedicated calls for ERTMS only and mixed calls (including the overall track works)
• Grants and blending facility
• Calls based on eligible costs and unit contributions
Significant amounts were allocated to ERTMS projects, but beneficiaries representing a third of the
initial budget allocated have already been withdrawn from the approved projects. The main issues
faced by project promoters were a lack of maturity of their project, tight implementation framework,
cost overruns, and availability and capacity of suppliers.
For instance, in the past, mixed projects (focussing not only on the ERTMS deployment but
encompassing overall track works) encountered situations where upstream delays in infrastructure
works led to abandoning the part related to the ERTMS deployment as, with the existing rules on
project finance, there was no more time to implement ERTMS during the eligible period. Based on this
experience, support under CEF 2 will only be granted to the “pure” (and mature) ERTMS projects.
Unit contributions, on the other hand, proved their merits and were appreciated by most of the
stakeholders – even though the unit amounts were considered too low for some projects, for instance,
in urban nodes. This was also addressed under CEF 2 calls with the new dedicated unit contributions.
Furthermore, the successful experience of the ERTMS unit contributions under the General envelope
encouraged the development of a similar approach for the Cohesion Fund envelope, which should
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
further incentivise and facilitate the deployment of ERTMS in the Member States eligible for Cohesion
funding under CEF 2.
2.4.3 Connecting Europe Facility 2021-2027, ESIF and Recovery and Resilience Fund
In the new multi-annual programme set out by CEF 2 Regulation 22, rail transport continues to be a
funding priority as the focus on transport shifts to making transport smart, sustainable, inclusive, safe
and secure. As before, there are funds available under the general transport envelope (EUR 14.52
billion) and the Cohesion Fund envelope (EUR 11.29 billion). In this respect, CEF will remain the EU’s
key financial tool to fund ERTMS projects. The 2021 CEF call was launched on 16 September 2021. EUR
550 million has been allocated for smart and interoperable mobility, which encompasses ERTMS: EUR
400 million under the general envelope and EUR 150 million under the cohesion envelope. During the
first three years of the CEF2 framework, this type of call will be renewed on a yearly basis to give
project promoters a clear perspective on the availability of funding and encourage them to come
forward only with mature projects. This addresses concerns voiced by stakeholders in the past as
regards insufficient visibility on the future availability of CEF funds.
Both trackside and on-board projects are eligible, and support will again be based on unit contributions
– with the addition of a new unit contribution dedicated to urban nodes with a higher level of support.
Indeed, ERTMS deployment in urban nodes is complex and costly. As a result, urban nodes often
remain unequipped, with a detrimental impact on interoperability. Focusing on urban nodes is
therefore of paramount importance for the effective deployment of ERTMS as a system and for making
the TEN-T network truly interoperable.
Furthermore, ESIF will continue to play its role in financing ERTMS projects in eligible Member States
and regions. In 2021-2027, the Cohesion Fund (under shared management) will be available to support
investments in the field of environment and trans-European networks in the area of transport
infrastructure: trackside deployment projects for ERTMS could therefore benefit from this source of
funding. Over the same period, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with a budget of
approximately EUR 200 billion, will enable investments in a smarter, greener, more connected and
more social Europe that is closer to its citizens. This is translated into five funding priorities, two of
them being directly linked with ERTMS: (i) greener, low-carbon and resilient Europe; (ii) more
connected Europe by enhancing mobility.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is also supporting ERTMS deployment in several countries.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation 23 establishes a requirement that the measures
supported by the RRF and included in the recovery and resilience plans of the individual Member States
should contribute to the green transition and digitalisation. The investment under RRF should account
22
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1153
23
Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the
Recovery and Resilience Facility
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
for an amount that represents at least 37 % of the recovery and resilience plan’s total allocation based
on the methodology for climate tracking and at least 20 % for the digital target.
Annex VI and Annex VII of the Regulation define dimensions and codes for the types of intervention
for the RRF to be used for the calculation of the allocation in the individual plans. According to Annex
VI, the coefficients for ERTMS are 40% for both climate and environmental coefficients. In line with
Annex VII, the ERTMS coefficient for the digital tagging under the Facility is 100%.
Rail development comprises about 40% (EUR 38.4 billion) of the transport-related reforms and
investments of the Recovery and Resilience Plans. The Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs) of Austria,
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Croatia, Italy,
Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden contain various measures to support the
upgrade and modernisation of railway infrastructure, including the roll-out of ERTMS. Some countries
also included in their RRPs the purchase of rail rolling stock, such as Croatia, Hungary and Poland. For
example, the latter foresees 500 million euros of loans for new rolling stock for regional passenger rail
services.
Together with ERTMS, the digitalisation of rail is prominent in the RRPs. For instance, Germany has a
fast-track programme to replace the existing signal box and level crossing technology with safety
systems of the latest digital generation (EUR 0.5 billion). Poland foresees investments (EUR 341 million)
in, among others, the purchase and installation of ETCS on-board equipment and implementation of
remote control in 35 rail traffic stations.
Within the overall funding dedicated to rail, at least 30% are planned to be allocated to the TEN-T
networks (12 billion euro). The Italian, Spanish, Czech, and Polish RRPs, for instance, present ambitious
programmes of investments in high-speed railway connections on the TEN-T network, together with
cross-border connections, the accelerated deployment of ERTMS, the strengthening of metropolitan
nodes and key national links, as well as regional lines.
Finally, ERTMS should also benefit from the InvestEU Programme 24, which provides simplified and
streamlined investment support with just one set of rules and procedures and one point of contact for
advice. It supports four different policy areas, focusing on where the EU can add the most value by
providing a budget guarantee to attract private investment. The InvestEU Fund, which is a market-
based and demand-driven instrument, will mobilise both public and private investments through an
EU budget guarantee of EUR 38 billion, backing investment projects of financial partners (EIB, EBRD,
World Bank, Council of Europe Bank). The policy areas for sustainable infrastructure (EUR 11.5 billion)
and research, innovation and digitisation (EUR 11.25 billion) are of particular interest for the financing
of railway projects. Member States will have the option to channel some of their allocated Cohesion
Policy Funds into the InvestEU budget guarantee. Any funds channelled into the Fund will benefit from
the EU guarantee and its high credit rating, giving national and regional investments more leverage.
For a project to be eligible, it must address market failures or investment gaps and be economically
viable, help meet EU policy objectives and achieve a multiplier effect.
24
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/MEMO_18_4010
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
3 Next steps
3.1 Policy background
The Commission, in its Green Deal and Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (SSMS), laid out
measures aimed at promoting a sustainable transport system. This was followed, among others, by the
Fit for 55 packages in June 2021 and the December 2021 Transport package.
One of the ambitious objectives for transport decarbonisation is to achieve significant growth in the
modal share enjoyed by rail transport (both passenger and freight). To this end, a substantial increase
in rail transport capacity is needed, which cannot be obtained without the widespread deployment of
advanced ERTMS.
Moreover, ERTMS will become the backbone of railway digitalisation, accelerating the introduction of
new technologies, including automatic train operation, satellite positioning and other technologies
capable of optimising rail performance and capacity.
Climate change and digitalisation are two major objectives on the European Commission’s policy
agenda, and ERTMS deployment ticks off all the boxes.
From 2022 onwards, both the revised CCS TSI and TEN-T Guidelines will go through a negotiations
process. The adoption of these legal acts in 2022 and 2023, respectively, will set new milestones for
the ERTMS deployment.
The revised TEN-T Guidelines should decisively contribute to the objectives of the Green Deal and the
SSMS and accelerate the ERTMS deployment. The revision of CCS TSI will address many pending
technical issues, including setting out a framework for a more modular and industrial deployment. A
key issue in the ERTMS deployment is the improvement on the maturity of the ERTMS concept,
focusing on the reliability, availability and maintainability of ERTMS as critical system to ensure
European interoperability. This topic is faced by the 2022 CCS TSI revision as indicated in section 3.4.2.
Finally, the entry into force of Europe’s Rail JU and its System Pillar will pave the way towards a
harmonised, robust, and reliable interoperable European railway system based on ERTMS.
3.2 Outlook of ERTMS deployment by 2030 and 2040
3.2.1 Trackside
Based on the national plans and information provided by the Member States or collected by the EC, it
is estimated that about 48% of the TEN-T network and 67% of the Core Network will be equipped with
ERTMS by 2030 and 69% and 84% respectively by 2040 25. The details per Member State, including
Norway and Switzerland, are presented below.
25
This value is a low bound, as some Member States might be willing to deploy ERTMS but have no official plans
today
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 11 Based on national plans and current progress, expected trackside ERTMS deployment per MS, including NO and CH
Not all Member States limit themselves to the TEN-T network. Indeed, some Member States have
chosen a more ambitious strategy and decided to go for a network-wide deployment (see below). In
these Member States, their whole network will be equipped with ERTMS.
Overall, based on known Member States’ plans, 69% of the whole TEN-T will be equipped with ERTMS
by 2040 26. The remaining 31% include:
- new lines to be built, as they are supposed to be equipped with ERTMS,
- sections that are exempted from deployment (e.g. isolated networks),
- sections to be equipped (both with Class B and without any train protection systems).
26
It represents 71% of the Comprehensive network to be equipped (if exempted sections are not included)
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 12 Based on National Plans, expected ERTMS trackside status by 2040
It is worth noting that based on the existing national plans, by 2040, on-board Class B systems will be
required only on less than 20% of the current TEN-T Network.
This estimate is both optimistic and conservative. On the one hand, it assumes that Member States
will deliver on time what they have planned in terms of ERTMS deployment. On the other hand, a
number of Member States do not have plans going beyond 2030. As a result, additional sections could
be expected by 2040 in those Member States.
Therefore, it is a reasonable expectation that, in total, a higher percentage of the network would be
equipped by 2040.
The countries that have planned to have their entire network equipped with ERTMS by 2040 are
Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and
Switzerland.
Bulgaria, Greece and Slovenia do not plan to equip their entire network with ERTMS by 2040, but no
Class-B system will be required on-board as the only lines which will be not equipped will not have any
automatic train protection system (part of the 3 275 km with “No signalling system” of the figure
above).
Among these Member States, some go even further and have already defined their decommissioning
deadlines:
- Belgium, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2025. Class B
decommissioning is foreseen when lines are equipped with ERTMS, i.e. in 2025.
34
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
- Czechia, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2040. The Class B
system will be gradually phased-out starting from 2025.
- Denmark, lines currently equipped with automatic train protection systems will be equipped
with ERTMS by 2030. Class B system will be decommissioned when ETCS is installed trackside.
- Finland, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2040. Class B
decommissioning is planned one year after ERTMS deployment on a given line.
- Germany, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2040. The Class B
system will be gradually phased-out starting from 2025.
- Italy, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2036. The Class B system
will be gradually phased-out starting from 2023.
- Luxembourg, ERTMS has been in service since 2019. Class B system decommissioning was
finalised at the end of 2020.
- Slovenia, the Core Network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2025 and the
Comprehensive Network by 2031. The Class B system on the Core Network will be
decommissioned by 2025 and on the Comprehensive Network and regional lines by 2031.
- Sweden, the whole network is expected to be equipped with ERTMS by 2035. The Class B
system will be decommissioned when ETCS is installed trackside.
In summary, the deployment plans of ERTMS on the TEN-T Core and Comprehensive Network by 2040
would look as follows (countries that plan to achieve a network-wide ERTMS deployment by 2040 are
highlighted in light green):
35
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 13 Reviewed ERTMS deployment plans by 2040 in EU27 + NO + CH
36
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
3.2.2 On-board
A successful deployment plan requires a synchronised deployment strategy between trackside and on-
board. Only when the fleet is equipped will it be possible to reap the full benefits of the ERTMS
deployment. As a result, a forecast of the total number of equipped vehicles is needed.
This is not an easy task, as there is no single database on the vehicles equipped with ERTMS in Europe.
Furthermore, assumptions have to be made as to the end-of-life cycle of existing vehicles. The
following sources were used and cross-checked: ERA, Eurostat, UNISIG, UNIFE, NSA, interviews with
railway undertakings and leasing companies, publications from Member States and CINEA, industry
databases, and press analysis.
According to our estimates, 7 150 vehicles are already equipped with ERTMS by end-2020 (see section
2.2). Altogether, we consider that some 11 500 diesel locomotives, 14 500 electric locomotives and
15 500 passenger trainsets (both high-speed and non-high-speed) are being used in the European
Union, Switzerland and Norway. This represents a total of approximately 41 500 vehicles. In addition,
shunting locomotives, yellow fleet and historical vehicles may, according to their operations, need
fitting with ERTMS.
Based on a study commissioned in 2020 27 by the European Commission, which has been fine-tuned to
take into consideration the most recent data available, the total fleet required by 2030 to operate on
the CNC is estimated to be between 27 600 and 34 600 vehicles 28. The difference between the low
bound and the high bound hinges on the capacity of railway undertakings to optimize the fleet required
to operate on the CNC in countries where these corridors do not represent significant parts of the
network.
Figure 14 Total fleet to be equipped with ERTMS - low bound Figure 15 Total fleet to be equipped with ERTMS - high bound
Based on the age of the European fleet and the average lifetime of a vehicle (30 years) 29, around 20 000
will reach the end of their life and therefore are expected to be renewed between 2021 and 2030 30.
27
“ERTMS Retrofitting strategy Funding and Financing – Final Report”, June 2020
28
Non UIC gauge fleet have been excluded from this calculation, though they are eligible for CEF support
29
Based on information collected in the business case analysis by the Deployment Management Team
30
Not all those vehicles operate on the CNC
37
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Between 2031 and 2040, an additional 11 000 vehicles can be expected to be renewed. Therefore, up
to 90% of the European commercial fleet might be renewed in the upcoming 20 years. If this unique
opportunity is missed, the costs of the ERTMS deployment may be much higher, and the transition will
be slower.
Figure 16 EU fleet per age group
According to the data on vehicles planned to be equipped with ETCS in Europe 31, from 2021 to 2026,
an average of 838 vehicles/year will be equipped with ETCS: 179 new vehicles/year, 639 retrofitted
vehicles/year, 10 vehicles/year upgraded from non-interoperable versions (e.g. pre-baseline 2) and for
the reamaining 10 vehicles/year the type of update is not specified. The average is reduced to 567
vehicles/year if the period 2021-2030 is considered. However, there are 3 377 vehicles expected to be
put in operation with ETCS in the following years, but their commissioning dates are not specified in
the available sources. These vehicles are categorised as “No date” in Figure 17. If these vehicles are
put in operation by 2030, an average of 905 vehicles will be equipped with an interoperable ETCS
version per year in the period from 2021 to 2030 (i.e. 9 047 vehicles 32) 33. In addition to vehicles
presented in Figure 17, 1 532 already equipped vehicles will be migrating to Baseline 3 in the following
years. 34
31
This section includes the best estimation on vehicles to be equipped with ETCS in the following years based on
the available data about OBU deployment plans. The figures are based on national implementations plans, official
information provided by MS and information gathered from news.
32
The 9 047 vehicles that will be equipped with an interoperable from 2021 to 2030 are composed of 2 532 new
vehicles, 6 032 retrofitting vehicles, 208 OBU updated from pre-baseline 2 and 275 vehicles planned but without
information if new, retrofitted or updated.
33
According to UNISIG data, there are 14 500 on-board units (OBU) contracted in Europe (EU27+NO+CH+UK),
including 9 500 OBU with a contractual completion date prior to 2021. However, UNISIG could only confirm the
completion of 4 400 OBU. Therefore, up to 10 000 OBU could be put in operation in the coming years. This figure
cannot be translated directly to number of vehicles because some vehicles need two on-board units.
34
218 vehicles are planned for 2022, 373 vehicles are planned for 2023, 843 vehicles are planned for 2026 and
98 vehicles are planned without specific migration date in the gathered sources. 227 of those vehicles are
currently equipped with Baseline 2; for the remaining 1 305 vehicles to be migrating to Baseline 3, there is no
information on the current baseline.
38
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 17 Number of vehicles to be equipped with ETCS planned per year
The highest number of vehicles planned to be equipped with ETCS in the following years, according to
the gathered data, will be put in operation in Czechia (i.e. 1 460 vehicles), followed by France (1 283
vehicles), Austria (977), Germany (948 vehicles), Sweden (834), Belgium (610 vehicles), Italy (568
vehicles), Norway (482 vehicles) and Denmark (438 vehicles). The planned vehicles to be equipped
with ETCS in the coming years per country are presented in Figure 18 35. It should be noted that if a
vehicle is planned to operate in several countries, this vehicle is counted in all the countries concerned.
For this reason, the total of vehicles in Figure 18 is higher than in Figure 17.
35
No plans have been found to equip Irish and Lithuanian fleets in the available sources. In the case of Latvia,
the NIP envisages equipping trains with ETCS but does not determine any specific deadlines. For this reason,
Figure 18 does not report on any Irish, Latvian or Lithuanian vehicles.
39
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 18 Number of additional interoperable vehicles by year and by Member State
Clustering by type of works in vehicles, among additional equipped vehicles planned in the coming
years, 2 532 will be new vehicles (28%), will be retrofitted vehicles (67%), and 208 will be upgraded
vehicles (2%), but the respective baseline is not specified. Regarding the remaining 301 vehicles (3%),
there is no information on the type of work envisaged. According to the available sources, there are
no vehicles planned to be upgraded from pre-Baseline 2 (i.e. from a non-interoperable ETCS baseline).
The type of works in vehicles planned to be equipped with ETCS in the following years per county are
shown in Figure 19.
The highest number of vehicles planned to be retrofitted with ETCS is foreseen in France (1 029
vehicles), followed by Czechia (1 022 vehicles), Sweden (806 vehicles), Germany (681 vehicles),
Belgium (532 vehicles), Norway (452 vehicles) and Denmark (338 vehicles).
In the case of new vehicles, the highest number has also been identified in Austria (859), Czechia (438
vehicles), followed by Italy (233 vehicles) and Switzerland (203 vehicles), Poland (190 vehicles) and
Germany (155 vehicles).
40
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 19 Type of work in vehicles by Member State
Clustering by type of transport, 4% of the vehicles are intended for freight traffic, 23% for passenger
traffic, 1% for both passenger and freight traffic and for the remaining 72%, the type of transport is
not specified in the available sources.
Based on currently available data, we can say that at least 16 223 (7 176 existing plus 9 047 to be
renewed or retrofitted) vehicles will be equipped with ERTMS by 2030. This contrasts with the figure
of 27 600 to 34 600 vehicles needed for operations on the CNC as described above. However, this value
is a very conservative estimate based mostly on contracts signed. However, as some Member States
have announced network-wide deployment plans or even decommissioning of their class B systems
(see section 3.2.1), this will definitely lead to additional orders for additional vehicles equipped with
ERTMS in the coming years.
41
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
3.3 Challenges and opportunities
Impact of growing ERTMS deployment on operators
In 2020, the Commission published a report on on-board and infrastructure deployment strategies. 36
The report analyses the impact of growing ERTMS deployment on operators, specifically on
international freight operations. The main conclusions of that study are the following:
• In the coming years, a significant network change will occur with a move from isolated “ERTMS
islands” to commercially significant networks equipped with ERTMS within and between
countries. For example, in one of the freight networks analysed, the number of kilometres not
equipped with ERTMS will decrease from 70% in 2020 to only 15% in 2025.
• Given the decommissioning plans in countries covered by the study, ERTMS should now be
standard equipment of the rolling stock for any international rail freight operator.
• Meaningful freight operation using ERTMS will be achieved, and international freight operators
will benefit from using ERTMS to significantly increase their commercial range. ERTMS will
become a replacement for class B systems rather than an additional system. For example, in
2028, on one of the freight networks analysed, it will be possible to provide 94% of the
international rail freight on the routes examined with an ERTMS and just one class B system
on-board.
• Prioritisation of ERTMS deployment in specific sections would result in significant benefits for
international freight operations. By 2025, for example, a train will be able to reach the North
of Italy from the North Sea ports (i.e. more than 1 000 km) with ERTMS-only locomotives or by
2023, from the North of Italy to Hungary. The usage of locomotives equipped only with class B
systems is going to be reduced significantly, as national systems will be progressively removed
from critical parts of the network. Equipping the fleet will be necessary to enter some key
sections of the EU network. For example, a locomotive currently equipped with PZB 90, LZB
and RSDD/SCMT can operate on 100% of the routes identified in the second network analysed
in the study; however, by 2026, this will be significantly reduced due to decommissioning in
Austria and Italy. That study also concludes that though there is, in principle, a sound case for
ERTMS on-board deployment, a transitional period with ERTMS and 1 or 2 class B systems is in
most cases unavoidable. The analysis shows that no unique class B system can be considered
a universal solution within a network; ad-hoc strategies for each operator are necessary
depending on the countries where their base of operation is located. However, compared with
the current situation, the use of ERTMS will allow a simplified constellation of on-board
systems.
36
European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (2020). Deployment of ERTMS on core
and comprehensive networks: on-board and infrastructure deployment strategies: final report
42
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
The importance of reducing exemptions
Even if the trackside ERTMS deployment is suffering from delays in the short-term, the mid and
especially long-term perspective is rather positive: by 2040, some 70% of the whole EU-27+NO+CH
TEN-T network is expected to be equipped, and less than 20% of the TEN-T network will still require
Class B systems on-board to run.
Findings on ERTMS on-board deployment are less optimistic. They show that despite the current TSI
requirements, between 2015 and 2019, the majority of the new vehicles were not equipped with
ERTMS. Thus, the pace of the on-board deployment is slower than what was initially expected by the
EU and the Member States.
Operators do not fit all their new purchased fleet since they do not see the need to invest in ERTMS as
most of the lines in their area of operation are not yet equipped with ERTMS, and/or they can still use
Class B systems. At the same time, some infrastructure managers delay deployment as no rolling stock
equipped is available, which leads the industry into a vicious circle. This situation might jeopardize
trackside deployment or force infrastructure managers to keep two trackside systems for a longer time
than initially planned. Some impacts on the initial deployment schedule have been already noted, for
instance, in Sweden.
Figure 20 Vicious circle of ERTMS deployment
A continuation of this approach means that it will not be possible to reap the expected benefits from
the ERTMS deployment, i.e. a decrease in maintenance costs, interoperability and access to a larger
market for rail transportation in Europe, an increase in capacity, and an increase in safety. As the
ERTMS business case 37 showed, ERTMS can only bring the expected benefits if both trackside and on-
board are deployed in a coordinated way. A dual on-board strategy, which consists in equipping the
whole fleet with ERTMS on top of the legacy system, is the best migration strategy. This would allow
keeping only one system trackside once ERTMS is deployed on a given line. However, the
decommissioning of the Class B systems trackside is only possible if almost the entire fleet is equipped
with ERTMS 38.
Therefore, if a significant share of the new rolling stock continues not being fitted with ERTMS, this
situation will adversely impact the business case for ERTMS and the ERTMS deployment overall, as it
will lead to additional costs in the short and medium-term (retrofitting costs) and will prevent
37
DG Move EC. 2019. ERTMS business case on the 9 core network corridors – Second Release
38
The threshold was set at 90% of the fleet equipped in the ERTMS business case analysis.
43
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
infrastructure managers from decommissioning their Class B systems and thus achieving the expected
benefits on maintenance.
To analyse the impact of reducing the on-board exemptions set out in the CCS TSI for the ERTMS
deployment, their financial consequences on the overall railway system have been assessed by
Commission services assisted by DMT through the comparison of three scenarios:
-Scenario 1 “no changes”, which assumes that the exemptions remain and, therefore, the
whole EU fleet is not equipped by 2040, full ERTMS benefits will not be achieved.
- Scenario 2 assumes that exemptions remain, but with an ambitious target for full on-board
equipment by 2040, vehicles are retrofitted between 2031 and 2040, and ERTMS benefits can
be achieved by 2040. This scenario assumes that the EU legal framework is not changed, and
it is left to railway undertakings and vehicle owners to decide whether to equip new vehicles
or retrofit them at a later stage. ERTMS is deployed, and Class B decommissioned in line with
the known national plans.
- Scenario 3, which assumes that exemptions are removed, new vehicles do not have to be
retrofitted. ERTMS is deployed, and Class B systems are decommissioned everywhere on the
TEN-T.
In both scenarios 2 and 3, the full fleet is considered to be equipped by 2040, which means that all
unequipped vehicles which are not renewed before 2040 or all vehicles renewed but without ERTMS
have to be retrofitted.
The costs considered in the assessment of scenarios are the fitment costs, the retrofitting costs and
the extra maintenance costs of the legacy system for infrastructure managers.
This is a conservative approach, as only savings on legacy system maintenance costs are considered.
Other very significant associated benefits such as enhanced interoperability for rail freight and
passenger transport at the European level, additional capacity, enhanced safety, improved reliability
of rail transportation for passengers, potential obsolescence cost of Class B system, ERTMS as an
enabler for ATO, ERTMS Level 3, etc. are not quantified but are surely benefits of widespread ERTMS
deployment.
Furthermore, it is assumed that legacy system maintenance costs only grow according to forecasted
inflation 39. However, this is also a very conservative assumption. It is certain that costs will rise when
only a few Class B systems are still in operation due to lack of skilled staff, obsolescence issues and a
limited interest of suppliers to maintain such systems 40. Thus, Class B systems will become costly niche
markets.
Additional issues and opportunities to be considered are the smart solutions for low-density lines (i.e.
cost-efficient regional lines) and the harmonisation of the CCS interfaces on the CCS architecture.
Those topics are faced by EU-Rail and System Pillar (see section 3.4.3).
The comparison between scenario one and the two other scenarios shows that there is an economic
rationale to further incentivise on-board deployment. Failure to achieve full on-board deployment by
39
1,62% per year
40
For instance, LZB in Germany is expected to be obsolete by 2030
44
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
2040 would prevent IMs from reaping the benefits of savings on legacy system maintenance costs.
These represent some EUR 940 million per year, considering that 35% of new vehicles are put in service
without ERTMS. Over the period considered, the gap between scenarios 1 and 3 would amount to
about EUR 1.9 billion. Nevertheless, even if the target of full on-board equipment by 2040 remains and
the EU legislation continues allowing exemptions for new vehicles, retrofitting vehicles before 2040
instead of directly fitting them would result in an additional equipment cost of EUR 1.8 billion, as is
shown in the comparison of scenarios 2 and 3.
Figure 21 Comparison of financial costs for the railway system in the different scenarios
National deployment and decommissioning plans
As detailed in section 3.2.1, several Member States have decided to equip their entire network with
ERTMS by 2040, and some of them have even defined the decommissioning deadlines of class B
systems (mostly between 2025 and 2040) 41. This represents a significant opportunity to accelerate on-
board deployment, as the countries with decommissioning targets represent more than 40% (around
17 500 vehicles) of the total EU fleet. Moreover, the fleet from neighbouring countries will also be
impacted by the requirement to be equipped, leading to spill-over effects among vehicle owners in
Europe and also a need of coordination between countries with cross-border sections before and
during decommissioning process.
Reason of delays in ERTMS deployment
The following list includes examples of reason of delays in ERTMS deployment:
• Changes to national ERTMS deployment strategies
41
Luxembourg has already decommissioned its Class-B system in 2020
45
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Changes to national ERTMS deployment strategies affect both ERTMS trackside deployment and
on board retrofit projects and have an adverse impact on the industrial capacity.
• Lack of resources
ERTMS deployment is being affected by a lack of financial and human resources. This issue affects
directly rail infrastructura managers, operators and industry. For an ERTMS deployment to be
successful, the necessary products must be available and the industry must ensure skilled staff for
their installation. At the same time the European and national authroities should come up with a
clear and reliable funding and financing perspective encompassing several years and avoid
demand shocks on the market. This will allow building up inductrial capacity, attract new players
and possibly reduce unit costs of deployment.
• Delays in works
Any delays in the infrastracture modernisation, affect subsequent ERTMS deployment.
• National systems
In some cases, national systems currently in use have not reached obsolescence and therefore
there is a lack of urgency from the Infrastructure Manager’s point of view.
• Fleet equipment
The delays in equipping the fleet with ERTMS may affect the deployment plans, delaying the
progress in rolling out ERTMS trackside.
• Cross border coordination
The lack of coordination between Member States in their respective networks leads to delays in
the availability of cross border interoperability. Different approaches create gaps in the ERTMS
deployment, so that vehicles have to be equipped with Class B system in order to operate on the
sections not yet equipped with ERTMS.
• Issues with public procurement
Procurement procedures are also a source for a significant number of delays or even project
cancellations. Tenders fail because there were no offers received or only one. There are also
several examples of cases when all received offers exceeded the budget.. Also execisive or
demanding requirements in some public procurements resulted in lengthy tenders and delays in
project delivery.
• Technical aspects
There are also technical aspects :
o Maturity of specifications. Complexity of technical architecture (e.g. interfaces with
Class B systems or with existing interlockings) or changes to specifications may impact
the procurement process.
46
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
o ETCS Baseline 3. Lack of experience with the new ETCS Baseline 3 affected in the past
the ERTMS deployment.
o Unavailability of products. Rail companies and specifically RUs raise the issue of
inability of suppliers to deliver certain products. This is due to insufficient industrial
capacity or very local/tailored specifications like radio in-fill. Furthermore, in some
cases the Specific Transmission Module (STM) units do not exist despite the explicit
obligation of Member States set out in CCS TSI to ensure their availability.
o Lack of product documentation. This situation can occur during tender or project
execution phase. It induces risks of higher costs or exceeding the contractual
deadlines. The technical documentation is important for the integration of the ERTMS
system into the vehicles and trackside systems (e.g. interlocking). It is however also a
challenge to identify which is the level of detail necessary in this documentation
making unclear the best way to define system integration roles.
o Project risks. There is an initiative to mitigate this by using a common tender format
for the ERTMS on-board procurements that was agreed by the sector already in 2018.
However, this list has not been used in any of the known ERTMS procurements until
present.
o Lack of software maintenance clauses. This leads to the need to tender separately the
update the software on-board. A regular update for a software-based system such as
ERTMS should be considered business as usual and be part of the contract. The
commitment of the suppliying industry to include such an update clause by default as
laid down in the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding 42 is still not being honoured in
many cases be.
o Errors are still found during final testing. The fact that these problems are
encountered just before placing in service often results in major delays and cost
overruns. The impact of errors could be mitigated if they are systematically detected
by suppliers during the verification and validation processes.
On-board migration challenge
As shown above (see section 3.2.2), and if exemptions are removed, a large part of the vehicles is
expected to be equipped thanks to the renewal of the fleet (between 12 700 and 16 800); the rest will
42
Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Railways
and the European rail sector associations (CER, EIM, EPTTOLA, ERFA, the ERTMS Users Group, GSM-R Industry
Group, UIC, UNIFE and UNISIG) concerning the cooperation for the deployment of the European Rail Traffic
Management System. 2016.
47
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
have to be retrofitted (between 7 750 and 10 650). Between 2021 and 2030, this represents 1 270 to
1 680 vehicles/year to be renewed and 775 to 1 065 vehicles/year to be retrofitted. Furthermore,
this assessment does not include the required vehicle upgrades from baseline 2 to baseline 3, as well
as the need for other periodic updates, which will also affect the industrial capacity of suppliers. 43
These figures have to be compared with the trends in the past years; the current trend is based on the
number of vehicles already contracted:
- Between 2015 and 2019, an average 1 140 vehicles/year were equipped, including an average
of 460 fitted vehicles/year, out of 1 000 new vehicles/year that has been introduced in Europe
in this period, and an average of 680 retrofitted vehicles/year.
- According to the data on vehicles planned to be equipped with ETCS in Europe from 2021 to
2026, on average, at least 838 vehicles/year will be equipped with ETCS: 179 fitted
vehicles/year, 639 retrofitted vehicles/year, 10 vehicles/year upgraded from non-
interoperable versions and 10 vehicles/year for which the type of update is not specified.
Therefore, as regards retrofitting, the deployment is on track to reach the lower bound. However, with
respect to the renewal of the fleet and fitting of the new rolling stock, the deployment rate is currently
below target. There is also a gap between the number of vehicles that should, in principle, be renewed
between 2021 and 2030 (20 000) and the new vehicles actually forecasted (2 532), according to the
available sources.
This raises the question of the actual pace of renewal of the fleet and of the share of new vehicles
actually equipped with ERTMS. On the first point, even though most of the stakeholders agree that the
rolling stock should be renewed after 30 years of service, in reality, many vehicles that are above 30
years are still in operation at present. The second point emphasises the importance of reducing
exemptions, as already explained above. The gap between the actual trend and the one which should
be followed in order to achieve the dual on-board strategy by 2030 will also create a major industrial
challenge for the railway sector in the coming years – or even a hard bottleneck if exemptions are not
removed.
The European Coordinator and the Commission services (DG MOVE and DG GROW) are discussing this
issue with the industry and wider railway sector, focussing in particular on the shortage of qualified
staff, lack of sufficient workshops for retrofit, stable and predictable budgets to see how to address
this major industrial challenge. There is an inherent challenge in the OSS process relating to the
certification procedure that deserves to be mentioned as well, as it impacts production as well as the
Railway Undertaking’s results.
Possible measures to address the on-board challenge
As stated above (see current trends in section 3.2.2), at least 16 223 vehicles will be equipped by 2030,
whereas our assumption of the needs for the CNC alone is at least 27 600 vehicles (see Figure 14).
43
The work on the revision of the CCS TSI 2022 will duly take this issue into account. It is of paramount importance
that the future ERTMS system can be updated in a cost effective and efficient way, whenever needed.
48
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Therefore, a significant effort is still required in order to be able to reap the expected benefits of the
ERTMS deployment by 2030.
Given the above analysis, it should be considered to:
1. Remove from EU legislation the possibility to claim exemptions to put new vehicles in
operation without ERTMS
2. Shorten the deadline for deploying the Comprehensive Network from 2050 to 2040 to align it
with the national plans of most of the EU Member States.
3. Establish decommissioning deadlines to make sure that the Member States and all rail
stakeholders reap the expected benefits from ERTMS as soon as possible.
4. Create funding schemes and improve the respective framework conditions to encourage rapid
retrofitting and fitment of vehicles and to deal with first-mover disadvantages (see also below).
The Action plan to boost long-distance and cross-border passenger rail and revision of the railway
state aid guidelines
On 14 December 2021, the Commission published the “Action plan to boost long-distance and cross-
border passenger rail” 44. The plan is part of a package of measures for efficient and green mobility and
should help the EU meet its strategic milestones of doubling high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and tripling
it by 2050. In this document, the European Commission emphasised the need to accelerate the ERTMS
deployment and remove legacy signalling systems and proposed a series of new actions to achieve this
objective.
The first measure is to exempt the public financing of ERTMS from the notification obligation under
state aid rules, which may speed up the rollout of ERTMS. The second is to tackle the issue of rolling
stock availability. Indeed, although most long-distance cross-border services can be operated
commercially, there is a need to kick-start the availability of rolling stock for these services. Public
support for the creation of pools of long-distance cross-border rolling stock or for the mitigation of
commercial risks for leasing companies when acquiring and leasing out long-distance cross-border
rolling stock could help accelerate the deployment of ERTMS. To preserve a level playing field, such
public support should be given under clear and non-discriminatory framework conditions.
The two measures are linked to the current revision of the railway state aid Guidelines. In October
2021, the European Commission carried out a fitness check (evaluation) of the state aid rules for the
rail sector. The evaluation showed that the current Guidelines had made an important contribution to
encouraging a modal shift to rail, which generates lower external costs than other modes of transport,
such as road transport, and to promoting interoperability to ensure the different technical systems of
the EU's railways work together. At the same time, the evaluation stressed that adjustments to the
existing rules are necessary to reflect the latest market and regulatory developments and enable the
rail sector to embrace the green and digital transition in line with the Commission's priorities, in
particular those of European Green Deal. Finally, the evaluation demonstrated that the long-standing
44
COM(2021) 810 final
49
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
lack of interoperability, alongside the strong need for further digitalisation, is holding back the
development of seamless, cross-border rail services. State aid can help address these market failures
and improve the competitiveness of rail, thus facilitating modal shift, cutting transport emissions and
reducing road congestion.
Therefore, a process has been launched to review the Railway Guidelines, with the objective to update
the state aid rules. More specifically, the proposed revision considers, among others:
• Simplifying the rules on aid for coordination of transport that support the modal shift to more
sustainable transport solutions, including by way of a block exemption, which entails the
limited risk of competition distortions, based on vast case practice. As the Treaty provides that
the Commission can adopt block exemption regulations only relating to the categories of State
aid determined by the Council, the Commission will also consider submitting a proposal to the
Council for the adoption of a regulation enabling the Commission to block exempt State aid
for the coordination of transport pursuant to Article 93 TFEU, as the General Block Exemption
Regulation is based on Article 107 TFEU
• Extending the scope of the railway Guidelines, in particular, to include all relevant transport
operators in the intermodal chain, which contribute to the modal shift of freight from road to
less polluting and more sustainable transport solutions.
• Removing barriers to market entry or expansion of new market players, in particular as
regards access to suitable rolling stock.
• Ensuring the modernisation of fleets and the networks' interoperability.
The adoption of the new railway Guidelines is foreseen for the end of 2023.
3.4 Preparing future evolution
3.4.1 TEN-T Guidelines revision
On 14 December 2021, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal for the revised TEN-
T Guidelines. The proposal is a result of a comprehensive evaluation process of the existing legal
framework, extensive consultations of the Member States and other stakeholders, and an in-depth
assessment of the impacts of the amendments proposed.
The proposal is accompanied by an update of the 2013 TEN-T planning methodology, a report on the
implementation of TEN-T during the years 2018 and 2019, as well as communication on the extension
of the TEN-T network to the third countries neighbouring the EU.
To address the objectives of the Green Deal and SSMS adequately, the revision of the TEN-T Guidelines
aims at reinforcing the contribution of the TEN-T policy to the decarbonisation and digitalisation of
transport. In particular, the revised Regulation makes sure that the appropriate infrastructure will be
put in place to address the current congestion of infrastructure and, at the same time, reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
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The aim of the Commission proposal is two-fold: to increase the number of passengers travelling by
rail through the development of a competitive and seamless high-speed rail network throughout
Europe, and to shift a substantial amount of freight towards more sustainable transport modes in the
first place to rail.
The revised TEN-T Guidelines introduce a number of new or reinforced rail infrastructure
requirements, including regarding ERTMS. It is clear that without an accelerated deployment of
ERTMS, achieving the Green Deal and SSMS objectives will not be possible. Indeed, the draft TEN-T
Guidelines dedicate a separate article solely to ERTMS. As such, the deployment of ERTMS takes a key
place in the revised legal framework.
The new Article 17 sets out an obligation for Member States to deploy ERTMS on the core network,
including access routes and last-mile rail connections to multimodal freight terminals, by 31 December
2030. As regards the extended core network and the comprehensive network, the new deployment
deadline is set for 31 December 2040. Furthermore, Class B systems on the entire TEN-T network
should be decommissioned by 31 December 2040.
Member States should also ensure that as of 31 December 2025, only radio-based ERTMS should be
deployed on new lines or in the context of signalling system upgrades, and the entire TEN-T network
should be equipped with radio-based ERTMS by 31 December 2050.
One major new element will be the integration of the nine Core Network Corridors with the eleven
Rail Freight Corridors in a common set of “European Transport Corridors”. The alignment of these new
corridors will be defined in the TEN-T Guidelines and will thus repeal the existing alignment of corridors
in the CEF 2 Regulation. While striving for maximum stability of the existing TEN-T network, this merger
brings certain changes, such as the identification of an extended core network that will be fully
integrated into the corridors.
Similarly, the current system of European Coordinators will be reinforced. Based on their work plans
which shall be elaborated every four years, the Commission will adopt an implementing act for each
work plan, setting clear milestones to be implemented by the respective Member States. The
elaboration of the work plans will be complemented by annual status reports.
Finally, as to governance, the role of the European Coordinator for ERTMS should be enhanced as she
or he will receive the prerogative to establish and chair a consultative forum grouping all key
stakeholders. Each Member State will designate a national coordinator for ERTMS to attend the
consultative Forum for ERTMS. The national coordinator for ERTMS should become an ERTMS one-
stop-shop in each Member State. The national coordinator should be a direct discussion partner both
for the European Coordinator and for their fellow colleagues from other countries. We experience
often a situation that the national authorities do not have a clear vision what happens across the
border and whom to contact. Indeed, in many Member States there is no person responsible for the
ERTMS deployment. Furthermore, Member States are sometimes implementing scattered projects
with an ERTMS component, mostly trackside, but do not have any robust strategy, how, when and by
whom this signalling system is going to be used as there is often no rolling stock equipped or the
equipped sections do not allow a continuous operation with ERTMS. The new approach should allow
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an enhanced, coordinated and synchronised deployment of ERTMS, both on-board and trackside.
National coordinator should bring together all relevant national stakeholders, including: public
administration, infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, rolling stock keepers and supply
industry. The national coordinator should manage the deployment of ERTMS, including supervising
drafting of the National Implementation Plan, early identification of problems and ways of addressing
them, also in collaboration with other national coordinators. Furthermore, representatives of the
relevant rail sectors might be invited to participate in the ERTMS Forum. The European Coordinator
for ERTMS will also be granted the right to set up ad-hoc working groups. Finally, the Commission
proposal foresees that the European Coordinator for ERTMS should closely cooperate with, the
European Union Agency for Railways and EU Rail Joint Undertaking.
The proposal is now being negotiated with the European Parliament and the Council for a possible
entry into force of the revised TEN-T Guidelines in the course of 2023.
Following the hopefully rapid adoption of the amended TEN-T Guidelines, the current EDP (2017) will
also be revised. The new EDP will cover the ERTMS deployment plan on the newly created European
Transport Corridors in the period from 2024 to 2040.
3.4.2 2022 CCS TSI revision
For the revision of the CCS TSI that will be adopted in 2022, the underlying objective is to enhance
ERTMS as a system and facilitate its deployment.
The revised CCS TSI will set out:
• an interoperable solution for automatic train operation (ATO) in its grade of automation 2.
This means that the train will be able to operate in an autonomous way while the driver will
be present in the cabin to cover specific processes such as the start of a mission or operation
in degraded situations.
• technical specifications for the Future Radio Mobile Communication Systems (FRMCS)
readiness. These will include technical specifications for the ETCS on-board equipment and
especially interfaces to the FRMCS products to be manufactured after 2025. FRMCS will
gradually substitute the existing GSM-R (2G) that will become obsolete between 2035 and
2040.
• modifications to achieve safe operations of vehicles in ERTMS radio level by using train
integrity. Deployment of a radio level based, including train integrity, will boost capacity. Also,
with the train integrity, it will allow in future to reduce trackside train detection systems and
bring about significant savings for infrastructure managers.
• harmonised interfaces for the ERTMS on-board. Defining additional interfaces will allow for a
more modular ERTMS on-board system. It will be Ethernet-based and provide standard
interfaces between ATO, ETCS, FRMCS parts and RST-subsystem. This will strongly facilitate
the on-board projects, enhance competition between suppliers and ultimately lower prices.
Finally, this will allow an enhanced evaluability and maintainability of the system in the future.
• additional technical optimisations (enhancements) for the following existing functionalities as
requested by the sector. Some examples are:
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o Optimisation of braking curves algorithm for freight trains, mainly allowing some
seconds of time savings and improving the ergonomic driving
o Relocation without linking, mainly for Limited Supervision deployments
o Supervised shunting under ETCS
o Non-Leading mode where enhancements are necessary for the on-board equipment
not connected to an active cab which is not in the leading engine of the train
o Security improvement in case of using unlinked balises
o Increase in driver awareness on approaching the End of Authority
o Eurobalise for three-rail tracks
• additional technical corrections in the specifications (maintenance of specifications) based on
returns of experience due to different interpretations of the current set of specifications by
those deploying ERTMS in practice. The maintenance of the ERTMS specifications focuses on
the reported issues which could impact the normal service and provides mitigation measures
for the existing projects.
• solutions to the main pain points in retrofitting projects during the migration phase when
Class B is still necessary. Specific surveys were addressed to the sector, concluding that there
is a need to update the specifications to:
o clarify the definition of different types of Class B solutions;
o ensure that an integrated solution (i.e. bi-standard) is not the only available option in
a given network;
o make available the specifications that allow the integration of the available Class B
products with any ERTMS on-board equipment and
o avoid project-specific decisions due to non-compliant systems.
• updated deployment requirements. The economic assessment conducted points to the need
to remove from EU legislation the possibility to request exemptions for new vehicles to be put
in operation without ERTMS in 2030. As of 2022, new rolling stock will be technically ready to
integrate ERTMS.
• Harmonisation of the requirements of the National Implementation Plans (NIPs). In particular,
it will include the obligation for the Member States to coordinate IMs and RUs as regards the
definition of technical and financial migration strategies.
• updated framework to manage the specification changes, including a single set of ERTMS
specifications. The new framework introduces a robust process to update the specifications
for error corrections and enhancements. It also includes transition and migration
considerations for the introduction of new functionalities trackside and on-board in Europe.
The introduction of new functionalities will follow principles of investment protection and fair
migration paths. The new process considers distinct specification updates for error corrections
or new functions.
The single set of specifications allows all versions to be maintained error corrected with the
broad return of experience from projects, including all errors detected from ongoing projects
between 2015 and 2021 and potentially those to come.
The new process will also limit the number and the frequency of costly upgrades linked to new
functionalities.
• In addition, it also facilitates the gradual introduction of enhancements. Different system
versions will therefore be included in this single set of specifications, corresponding to the
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different baselines and releases of the system that will allow for a safe and gradual
introduction of new functionalities to the products and contracts. If Member State decides to
implement new functions, a minimum timeframe shall be provided, including a minimum
guaranteed compatibility window of 7 years after entry into force of the TSI and a minimum
notification period of 5 years by Infrastructure Managers.
• The text of the TSI is also updated to ensure fully compliant ERTMS products without
deviations/partial fulfilment and allow vehicles to operate across the EU without additional
restrictions/modifications if the area of use of a vehicle is extended.
With this change, the TSI enforces the maintainability and responsibility of the trackside and
on-board suppliers for addressing appropriately any errors in products and corrections to be
done within a well-defined timeframe.
• Most of the actual retrofit and upgrade projects are project specific based on grandfather
rights. Ignoring this, or even avoiding, causes a high risks for the vehicle owners regarding the
utilisation in the residual life. This measure should be agreed with the industry and the owners
before applying.
In 2022 the update of all TSI will be synchronised. For ERTMS, this involves:
• update in the OPE TSI. The update includes a set of harmonised operational rules for radio-
based ERTMS. This harmonisation focuses on reducing nationally dependent rules for the
driver.
• cross-TSI works for the introduction of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC). For ERTMS, DAC
provides the possibility to enhance functionalities, including:
o train integrity monitoring, which is key to enabling radio-based operations with higher
capacity and reduced train detection systems, mainly for freight
o automatic train initialisation, allowing the acquisition of ERTMS relevant parameters
(e.g. train length or brake parameters) of a newly composed train
o automatic maximum speed and braking performance determination, reducing driver
responsibility and increasing the reliability and correctness of these parameters
By the end of June 2022, the ERA will deliver the final recommendation for the revision of CCS TSI to
the European Commission. Then, after the negotiations process, the RISC committee should vote on
the revision of CCS TSI on the 23rd of November 2022.
3.4.3 Europe’s Rail JU & System Pillar
Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) has been established to address rail sectorial needs and the
challenges inherent to the transformation of the rail system. In particular, for ERTMS, EU-Rail will
define the next evolution of the system by aligning the needs of the sector and the technological
innovations and capabilities that the members of EU-Rail will develop. This next iteration will strive for
the achievement of the original vocation of ERTMS as the European rail traffic management system.
The ambition is to create a modern, harmonised, robust, reliable and interoperable European railway
system based on the current ERTMS specifications. This new evolution of ERTMS systems, commonly
known as CCS+, is necessary for the rail to better address customer needs, maintain safety and digital
security, improve operational efficiency and performance, reduce costs, enhance European rail supply
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industry competitiveness, and increase the speed of adoption of performance-enhancing
improvements.
EU-Rail’s governance structure comprises different groups and boards, including a governing board, a
States Representatives’ Group, Scientific Committee, a Deployment board, a Programme board, and
two pillars, i.e. the System Pillar and innovation pillar.
The EU-Rail innovation pillar will develop new digital solutions and the next iteration of ERTMS,
including ATO Grade of Automation (GoA) 4 that will allow unattended train operations. The next
iterations include trackside and on-board systems for automatic train protection, automatic train
control and automatic train supervision systems. The innovation pillar will help dramatically improve
the flexibility, efficiency, resilience and capacity adaptation of the European rail network.
While the innovation pillar will develop and demonstrate the next iteration of ERTMS systems, the
System Pillar within EU-Rail will provide the system vision and set out detailed specifications updates
for the ERTMS next iteration. Starting from the current ERTMS, systems enhancements will be
developed and interfaces defined to all other systems that will provide a harmonised and safe
European traffic management.
A properly designed radio-based ERTMS can significantly reduce the trackside cost, complexity, and
network specificities of classic ERTMS Level 1 and class B lineside signalling and provides the
opportunity to streamline the operational principles and technical specifications for ERTMS and wider
CCS components and functions – improving interoperability and the overall performance of the
system. A further major opportunity is thus to create harmonized operational rules. This will
correspond to the system vision that will be developed in the System Pillar and provides an opportunity
when migrating to radio-based ERTMS.
On this basis, a converging shared vision for future rail operations based on ERTMS-only Level 2 and
Level 3 networks will set the baseline for the operational and technological solutions for the next
iteration of the CCS+ systems.
The objectives of the System Pillar as set out in the Single Basic Act are to develop a unified operational
concept and a functional system architecture for integrated European rail traffic management,
command, control and signalling systems, including, inter alia, automated train operation over ERTMS
encompassing:
• definition of the services, functional blocks, and interfaces that form the basis of the rail
system;
• development of specifications, including interfaces, functional and non-functional and
system requirements to be laid down in the CCS TSI or as standards and would allow higher
levels of digitalisation and automation;
• system maintainability, including error-correction mechanisms and adaptability to the
different necessary migration paths.
• necessary interfaces with other modes and systems and ensuring that they are assessed
and validated, in particular for freight and passenger traffic;
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• migration plans that would link research and innovation, industrialisation and deployment
of innovative technologies, operational concepts and overall solutions to serve the
European citizens.
As network-wide innovation in a shared network such as the European railway system can only work
with an appropriate regulatory and standardisation framework, the System Pillar should also
significantly accelerate the evolution of those regulations and standards, including ERTMS, while
maintaining stability and managing compatibility, including the assessment of cost and benefits of
phasing out obsolete systems and the appropriate changes to operational procedures.
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4 Conclusions of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Despite the initial widespread concerns, which I also voiced in my first work plan in May 2020, COVID-
19 did not bring the ERTMS deployment to a standstill. On the contrary, the pandemic and the
European response in the form of the Recovery and Resilience Facility was a further catalyst for the
digitalisation of the railways, even though the uptake of the available funds for ERTMS in some of the
national recovery plans remains below my expectations. We still need to be prudent in view of the fall
in income of infrastructure managers and railway undertakings due to the COVID restrictions.
Over the last two years, we have seen an acceleration in the policymaking process. We have reached
a wide consensus with most of the stakeholders to move the gear up for the ERTMS deployment and
set out a more ambitious deployment framework. ERTMS is seen increasingly like the European System
replacing national (Class B) systems rather than an add-on solution permitting interoperable
operations.
We still experience a patchwork of approaches, but more and more Member States are taking a
decision to opt for a network-wide deployment coupled with decommissioning of class B systems;
some are only deploying on the core network; and just very few Member States do not have yet robust
plans to deploy ERTMS, not even on the core network. We still have divergent approaches to the
retrofitting of vehicles in the different Member States. And we need to be conscious of the
repercussions of the ongoing unprovoked aggression war of Russia against Ukraineand the
mobilisation of EU solidarity for the availability of EU and national budgets.
At this stage, I am nevertheless convinced that we are reaching a tipping point. The figures presented
in this work plan demonstrate this, but we need additional effort in terms of incentives and obligations.
The USA managed to mandate the deployment of their—admittedly less complex—system within a
decade on their entire network. We should be able to do the same in two decades, at least on the TEN-
T. The Commission proposal for the revision of the TEN-T Guidelines sets out appropriate and robust
incentives to reach this objective.
We should move from ERTMS islands, not only to entire corridors (with the necessary connections
between the Member States) but to whole networks. ERTMS should be deployed not only on the core
network, the new extended core network and the comprehensive network, including in the urban
nodes but also on access routes to multimodal terminals. As a priority, we need to focus infrastructure
deployment on existing gaps and close them as soon as possible. This will enable operations with
ERTMS only and boost the business case for railway undertakings. The EDP 2017 is not only a legal
obligation but, first and foremost, a promise and contract between the individual Member States and
their railway industries.
As European coordinator, I will follow up on the timely EDP 2017 implementation
and work on its revision, inform in particular the European Parliament on the progress, check
individually with the Member States on their plans to meet the EDP deadlines, discuss the
deployment strategies they have adopted, follow the cross-border agreements and, where
necessary, exchange on how to align national plans with the EDP. In addition, the revised
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NIPs to be udopted under CCS TSI 2022 will be key ERTMS implementation instruments at
national level.
Member States should ensure that only radio-based ERTMS will be deployed from 2026 and that the
entire trans-European transport network is equipped with radio-based ERTMS by 2050. This will
increase rail safety, allow uptake of automatic train operations and reduce the application of national
rules.
ERTMS deployment should be coupled with a regulatory deadline for the decommissioning of Class B
systems trackside. The decommissioning of Class B systems trackside will bring about significant
maintenance savings for infrastructure managers, as rolling out ERTMS and keeping additional
trackside signalling systems for a prolonged period is very costly and complicated. Class B systems will
become more and more costly and obsolete niche products with bespoke solutions, and their market
availability will be even further affected by the scarcity of skilled staff. With the forthcoming
standardisation, ERTMS will finally become a cheaper product with all its advantages, including
interoperability, reliability, capacity and safety. Class B systems should be removed in a coordinated
way with a sufficient transitional period, allowing the railway undertakings to anticipate the change
and adopt the most suitable migration strategy. I fully support the Commission’s proposal for revised
TEN T Guidelines and the deadline of 2040. However, the operators cannot be taken by surprise. In
some cases, there is not enough coordination between trackside and on-board deployment, including
across Member State borders.
As a European coordinator, I support acceleration but will listen to all stakeholders
to understand their concerns on organising the transition, and I will try to ensure that these
are adequately reflected in the outcome of negotiations.
ERTMS, being a system, requires a synchronised deployment both trackside and on-board, and full
system benefits only occur when both trains and trackside are equipped. The rolling stock has to be
equipped with ERTMS in order to start the decommissioning of the class B trackside. Even though
trackside deployment is progressing rapidly, on-board deployment is going slower than expected, and
new vehicles are not systematically fitted with ERTMS. Continuing this approach will undermine
trackside deployment plans and the benefits of systemic ERTMS deployment overall. We need to make
additional efforts to ensure an accelerated deployment of ERTMs on-board.
Railway undertakings, especially freight operators but also international passenger operators, cannot
be left alone with equipping their fleet. It is vital to provide improved support both at the EU and
national level for the renewal of the fleet or the retrofitting of existing vehicles, whichever solution has
a better benefit-cost ratio in a given context. In principle, retrofitting is several times more expensive
than fitting. Thus, the preferred option should be fitting. Equally, state aid rules should not unduly limit
funding for on-board equipment but facilitate the move to ERTMS.
We need to implement the European on-board strategy: stable and predictable budgets for retrofitting
and upgrading; simplification of the authorization process, in particular for serial vehicles;
identification of bottlenecks for on-board deployment, and curb down regulatory exemptions for
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newly-built locomotives. Some 20 000 locomotives and trainsets should reach 30 years of age or more
by 2030. In many countries, the average age is already close to 40. Thus, we should make use of this
opportunity to renew the rolling stock and give rise to a green and digital rail sector. If we continue
with the business as usual approach, only half of all vehicles will be equipped with ERTMS, whereas by
2030, we need between 27 500 and 34 600. If we do not impose a hard obligation to equip ERTMS on-
board, we will still have a rolling stock with only class B systems on-board fifty years from now, thus,
class B trackside would have to be kept. As a result, we would have a dual on-board and dual trackside
strategy for decades, which is costly and not very efficient.
As European coordinator, I will organise discussions with railway undertakings,
supply industry, leasing companies, infrastructure managers, Member States but also
financial institutions to create better framework conditions to better synchronise
deployment both trackside and on-board, and in this context to fund, facilitate and
accelerate the deployment of on-board equipment. I will involve myself in making sure that
EU funding decisions (CEF2 and others) both on-board and trackside reflect this path to a
single European system.
ERTMS already benefits from a significant level of EU support. This support must be preserved and
even increased in order to reach the 2030 target for the ERTMS deployment on the Core Network set
out in the TEN-T Guidelines and the envisaged new target for the ERTMS rollout on the entire TEN-T
by 2040. This will require considerable efforts, also in view of the economic repercussions of the
unprovoked aggression war of Russia against Ukraine. However, a large scale industrial project such as
ERTMS can also give the right incentives for an economic relaunch, as already demonstrated by a
number of Member States using the EU Next generation funds to deal with the effects of the pandemic.
Unit contributions should be kept and adapted to incentivise the ERTMS deployment. Railway
Guidelines should also be revised with the objective to simplify the rules on state aid to support the
modal shift to railways, including via ERTMS deployment.
As European coordinator, I will make sure ERTMS can benefit from all relevant EU
funding and financing instruments. I will also further analyse the possibility of using
revolving financing schemes and introduction of ERTMS differentiated track access charges.
I will also keep on working on the simplification of the applicable rules.
We should guarantee that evolution will take place in a non-disruptive way. This means that
increasingly modular and broader standardisation approaches should be privileged and that future
developments leave enough time to amortise current investments. We also need to make sure that
delays in obtaining authorisations and safety certificates are reduced to the necessary minimum whilst
fully respecting safety.
For rail to embrace digitalisation fully, the system will need to be more flexible and adaptable, with a
“plug and play” approach. This should drive the unit costs drastically down and create the conditions
for ERTMS to become the backbone of the future digital rail in Europe.
The ultimate objective should be to make ERTMS the sole signalling system in Europe using up to date
technologies (DAC, 5G and satellite communications, satellite positioning, fully digitalised
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interlockings, new forms of CCS etc.). As a result, we will stop exchanging locomotives at the border or
equipping them with several national systems on-board. ERTMS will also greatly improve safety as well
as increase the capacity of the network through traffic optimisation. We will thus have more trains on
the existing infrastructure without the need to build new lines or additional tracks.
As a European coordinator, I will favour continuous innovation. At the same time, I am
convinced that we need appropriate rules for transition, incentivising and protecting
investments now.
We need to make sure that for all this, we have the appropriate governance in place. With ERA, we
now have a European ERTMS system authority. ERA, as the ERTMS system authority, prevents national
ERTMS deployments from undermining interoperability and especially addresses the issue of
implementation of additional national requirements. ERA evaluates the overall testing and validation
process, including analysis of the need for ETCS and Radio System Compatibility tests. We need to
ensure that it has the adequate resources to do its triple job of preparing the technical rules (TSI),
authorising ETCS equipped vehicles and checking the envisaged track-side technical solutions. We also
need to make sure that the current ESC/RSC process will result not only in the identification of many
ERTMS dialects but also in the identification of shortcomings in the ERTMS testing and validation
phases. This should ultimately allow for a harmonisation of the ERTMS deployment in Europe. The
development of the System Pillar in Europe’s Rail JU should better prepare for future evolutions of
ERTMS, and the proposed platform in the context of the TEN-T revision for ERTMS coordination should
help to synchronise deployment in the Member States and function as an early warning mechanism
for problems along the path to a European ERTMS system.
As European Coordinator, I will work to strengthen ERA as systems authority,
especially with a view to providing it with adequate resources to carry out its mandatory
tasks. Furthermore, I will reflect on anticipating the setting up of an ERTMS forum, convening
responsible authorities for national ERTMS deployment informally to the first meeting in
2022; also prepare for the drafting of the next EDP, including possibly also on-board
deployment.
As European coordinator, I will also, with the help of the concerned actors, keep
authorisation, certification and licensing procedures under review to streamline the process
and to ensure that deployment is facilitated.
Finally, as also pointed out in my first work plan; rail traffic management goes beyond what we
currently have defined in our technical specifications.
The current harmonisation at the European level, through the CCS TSI, addresses the safety and
interoperability requirements, the on-board functions and interfaces between trackside and on-board
related to train protection, signalling the permission to move the train and radio communication –
ERTMS. This is not the full CCS system, which also includes interlockings, radio block centres, and other
infrastructure and on-board assets.
The purpose of the focus on CCS+ is to take advantage of the fact that networks and Member States
are migrating to CCS systems with radio-based ERTMS. There is, therefore, an opportunity through the
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migration to move to a much more harmonised CCS+ European system beyond the scope currently
defined in TSIs.
Success in such an approach would significantly reduce the fragmentation currently observed in CCS+
systems beyond ERTMS, increasing the opportunity for more open and competitive markets across
Europe and speeding the deployment of innovation across the system.
We need to make sure that we stay united in defining the other components of a European rail traffic
management system, working with a single system authority, and building a common platform under
the System Pillar of the EU-Rail to provide an agreed and well researched, detailed strategy for future
evolutions.
As European coordinator, I will closely follow the ongoing work in ERA as well as in the
Systems Pillar of Europe’s Rail JU and the deployment coordination group in order to ensure
the most favourable conditions for ERTMS deployment and the future European rail
management system.
Finally I will also engage with all stakeholders to discuss requirements and obstacles for an
industrial rollout of ERTMS.
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Annex I ERTMS deployment on the 9 Core Network
Corridors
Atlantic Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the ATL corridor is 11 295 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 620 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 1 760 km by 2023. Overall, ETCS is in operation
on 10% of ATL, while GSM-R on 39% of the corridor. In June 2022, 60% of the ATL length planned in
the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures and considering
that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not be possible to
meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status of ETCS
deployment by the Member States on the ATL as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 22 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Atlantic Corridor
The main bottlenecks threatening compliance with 2030 targets are the following:
- The commissioning of the Sevilla – Huelva and León – Gijón lines, and one of the lines that
connect Zumárraga with Zaragoza, are not included in the Spanish deployment plan for 2030.
- The commissioning of the line Grândola – Sines is included in the Portuguese deployment plan
for 2030. However, another route Grândola – Ermidas Sado – Sines will allow a continuous
operation from Grândola to Sines by 2030.
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- The French plan does not support lines planned in the EDP beyond 2023 that will be in
operation by 2030. For example, the high-speed line between Tours and Paris is expected by
2032.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the ATL
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 23 Atlantic Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
In Spain there are already some lines in operation on ATL. The Spanish sections next to the border with
France and Portugal (Badajoz), planned in the EDP by 2019 and 2020, are delayed until 2023. ATL
sections are planned in the Spanish plan by 2030 except for 3 CEF 2 lines: Sevilla – Huelva, León – Gijón
and one of the lines from Zumárraga to Zaragoza.
In Portugal, no lines are planned to be equipped with ETCS by 2023, according to the EDP. The whole
core network in Portugal is expected to be equipped by 2030 in line with the Portuguese deployment
plan. The Grandola – Ermidas Sado – Sines line, added in the CEF 2 extension of ATL, is included in the
Portuguese deployment plan for 2030. However, the commissioning of the new construction Grândola
- Sines line will take place beyond 2030.
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In France, there are already some lines in operation on ATL. According to the French plans, the Metz –
Rémilly – Strasbourg line planned in the EDP by 2020 will be delayed until 2025. Regarding sections
planned in the EDP beyond 2023, French plans do not support those lines being in operation by 2030.
In Germany, only one ATL line goes from the French border to Mannheim. According to the EDP, this
line was expected for deployment by 2023, but it will be delayed until 2028 according to the latest
German plans.
CNC corridors will be extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the ATL corridor new sections in
France, Portugal and Spain that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this
extension, the total ATL corridor length has been increased to 11 295 km.
Figure 24 Atlantic Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Baltic-Adriatic Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the BAC corridor is 4 910 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 485 km and 2 100 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 29% of BAC, while GSM-R on 59% of the corridor. In June 2022, 61% of the BAC length planned in
the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures and considering
that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not be possible to
meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status of ETCS
deployment by the Member States on the BAC as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 25 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor
Only one bottleneck threatening compliance with 2030 targets was identified, in Slovenia: the planned
high-speed line between Ljubljana, Divača and the Italian border, which is not included in the Slovenian
deployment plan for 2030. However, the conventional line between those cities is already in operation,
allowing a continuous operation on BAC by 2030.
According to Member States’ plans, the remaining BAC sections will be ETCS in operation by 2030.
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2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the BAC
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 26 Baltic-Adriatic ERTMS deployment plan
In Poland, most of the lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are already in operation and all the BAC
sections will be in operation by 2030 according to the Polish plan.
Czech sections in BAC planned in the EDP by 2023 are currently in operation, including cross-border
sections with Poland and Austria. The remaining sections are planned for 2030.
Slovak deployment is also following the EPD deadlines. Slovak cross-border sections with Poland and
Slovenia will be in operation by 2030.
There is only one ETCS section in operation in Austria on the BAC, being a cross-border section with
Czechia. According to the Austrian plan, lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are delayed until 2023-2025.
The remaining sections are planned for 2030.
Most of the lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are already in operation in Slovenia, including the
Slovenian section next to the Italian border. BAC sections will be in operation by 2030 according to the
Slovenian plan except for the planned high-speed line between Ljubljana, Divača and the Italian border.
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In Italy, there are no BAC ETCS lines in operation. According to the Italian plans, lines planned in the
EDP by 2020 are delayed until 2023. BAC sections in Italy will be commissioned progressively by 2030.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the BAC corridor new sections in
Poland that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this extension, the total
BAC corridor length has been increased to 4 910 km.
Figure 27 Baltic-Adriatic Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Mediterranean Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the MED corridor is 11 410 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
3 080 km and 3 135 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 18% of MED, while GSM-R is operational on 49% of the corridor. In June 2022, 53% of the MED
length planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures
and considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not
be possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status
of ETCS deployment by Member States on the MED as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 28 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Mediterranean Corridor
The main bottlenecks threatening compliance with 2030 targets are the following:
- With the exception of the Marseille - France/Italy border line, French plans do not support that
lines planned in the EDP beyond 2023 will be in operation by 2030.
- The commissioning of the planned high-speed line between Ljubljana, Divača and the Italian
border is not included in the Slovenian deployment plan for 2030. However, the conventional
line between those cities is already in operation, allowing for continuous ERTMS operations
on the MED corridor.
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- The Croatian deployment plan does not include a planned date for planned lines belonging to
MED, i.e. the Oštarije - Rijeka line and a bypass line in Zagreb.
- The Hungarian deployment plan does not include a planned date for some MED sections, i.e.
the Boba – Székesfehérvár section and the Hungarian sections next to the Croatian and
Ukrainian borders.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the MED
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 29 Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
In Spain, most of the lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are already in operation, including one of the
cross-border sections with France. According to the Spanish plans, all MED sections will be operational
by 2030.
In France, there are already some lines in operation on MED. The Marseille - France/Italy border line
is planned to be equipped with ERTMS by 2030, with a first section equipped by 2027. However, French
plans do not support that sections planned in the EDP beyond 2023 will be in operation by 2030.
In Italy, there are already some lines in operation. Most sections planned in the EDP by 2020 are
delayed until 2023. According to the Italian plans, other MED sections will be in operation by 2030.
Most of the lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are already in operation in Slovenia, including the
Slovenian section next to the Italian border. According to the Slovenian plan, MED sections will be
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operational by 2030, except for the planned high-speed line between Ljubljana, Divača and the Italian
border.
In Croatia, no lines will be equipped with ETCS by 2023, in line with the EDP deadlines. According to
the Croatian plan, MED sections will be in operation by 2030 except for the planned line Oštarije –
Rijeka and a bypass in Zagreb.
In Hungary, lines planned in ERMTS EDP by 2020 are delayed until 2021-2030. Sections planned in the
EDP beyond 2023 are not included in the Hungarian deployment plan.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the MED corridor new sections in
France, Italy and Spain that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this
extension, the total MED corridor length has been increased to 11 410 km.
Figure 30 Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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North Sea-Baltic Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the NSB corridor is 9 030 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
755 km and 1 775 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is in operation
on 11% of NSB, while GSM-R is in operation on 58% of the corridor. In June 2022, 32% of the NSB length
planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures and
considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not be
possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status of
ETCS deployment by the Member States on the NSB as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 31 ETCS deployment by Member States on the North Sea-Baltic Corridor
Sections in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with a track gauge that is different from the European
standard nominal track gauge (i.e., sections outside the Rail Baltic) are exempt from the obligation to
deploy ERTMS.
The main bottlenecks threatening compliance with the 2030 targets are the following:
- NSB sections will be equipped beyond 2030 according to the Finnish plan.
- The commissioning of the planned high-speed lines between Poznan/Wroclaw – Kalisz – Łódź
– Opoczno / Mszczonow are not included in the Polish deployment plan for 2030.
- The German plan does not indicate a specific deadline for the NSB lines planned in the EDP
beyond 2023. German authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2040, but
there is no confirmation if NSB will be equipped by 2030.
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- According to the Dutch plan, the line from Rotterdam to the German border (Hengelo) will be
deployed beyond 2030.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the deadlines and the state of play for the ERTMS deployment in the NSB
corridor:
Figure 32 North Sea-Baltic Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
In Sweden, there are two sections of the NSB corridor. One is already operational, and the other is
expected to be commissioned by 2027.
According to the Finnish plan, the NSB sections in Finland will be equipped beyond 2030 from 2030 to
2036.
The Rail Baltica, that is to connect Estonia with Poland through Latvia and Lithuania, will be operational
by 2030 according to the official plan. Sections in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with a track gauge
different from the European standard nominal track gauge (i.e. sections outside the Rail Baltica) are
exempt from the deployment of ERTMS.
Polish authorities have reported delays on sections planned in the EDP by 2023. According to the Polish
plan, all NSB sections are expected to be commissioned by 2030 except for the planned high-speed
lines between Poznan/Wroclaw – Kalisz – Łódź – Opoczno / Mszczonow, for which there are no specific
deadlines for NSB sections in the Polish plan.
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According to the German plans, German sections planned in the EDP by 2023 will be delayed, and their
commissioning is expected between 2024 and 2028. Regarding German sections planned in the EDP
beyond 2023, although the entire German network will be equipped by 2040, there are no specific
deadlines for NSB sections in the German plan.
The lines currently in operation in The Netherlands had been already commissioned when the EDP was
published in 2017. According to the Dutch plans, most of the remaining NSB Dutch sections (i.e.,
Rotterdam – Utrecht – Hengelo – German border line) are expected to be operational beyond 2030.
In Belgium, most of the NSB sections are already operational, including one cross-border section with
the Netherlands and another one with Germany. Although some sections planned in the EDP by 2023
will be delayed, the Belgian authorities still plan the entire Belgian network to be equipped by 2025.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the NSB corridor new sections in
Finland, Germany, Poland and Sweden that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC.
Considering this extension, the total NSB corridor length has been increased to 9 030 km.
Figure 33 North Sea-Baltic Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the NSM corridor is 5 465 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 310 km and 1 565 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 15% of NSM, while GSM-R is operational on 78% of the corridor. In June 2022, 51% of the NSM
length planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures
and considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not
be possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status
of ETCS deployment by the Member States on the NSM as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 34 ETCS deployment by Member States on the North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor
Sections in Ireland are in principle exempted from the obligation to deploy ERTMS. Lines in the United
Kingdom do not belong to the NSM anymore.
The following bottlenecks regarding the 2030 compliance have been identified:
- According to the Dutch plans, the line from Roosendaal to Vlissingen will be deployed beyond
2030.
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- The French plans do not support that lines planned in the EDP beyond 2023 will be in operation
by 2030.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the NSM
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 35 North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
According to the national deployment plans, as of 2025 it should be possible to operate in a continuous
manner with ERTMS from the North Sea ports to Basel.
The Irish network is exempt but Irish authorities have plans to deploy Level 1 ETCS on the whole
network by 2040. A GSM-R voice system is being rolled out to replace the existing analogue radio
network by 2025. There are two operational lines on NSM in France: the Rémilly – Strasbourg line and
Thionville – Luxembourg border line. According to the French plan, the Thionville – Metz – Strasbourg
– Mulhouse – Basel conventional line, planned in the EDP by 2020, is delayed until 2025. Regarding
sections scheduled in the EDP beyond 2023, the French plans do not support that those lines will be in
operation by 2030.
The lines currently in operation in The Netherlands had been already commissioned when the EDP was
published in 2017. According to the Dutch plan, all remaining Dutch sections are planned by 2030
except for the Rosendaal – Vlissingen line.
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In Belgium, most of the NSM lines are already in operation, including one cross-border section with
the Netherlands and the other one with Luxemburg. Although some sections planned in the EDP by
2023 will be delayed, the Belgian authorities still plan the entire Belgian network to be equipped by
2025.
Luxembourg’s entire network is already equipped.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the NSM corridor new sections in
Ireland that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this extension, the total
NSM corridor length has been increased to 5 465 km.
Figure 36 North Sea-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the OEM corridor is 6 480 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 960 km and 2 760 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 11% of OEM, while GSM-R is operational on 51% of the corridor. In June 2022, 24% of the OEM
length planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures
and considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not
be possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status
of ETCS deployment by the Member States on the OEM as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 37 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor
The main bottlenecks threatening compliance with the 2030 targets are the following:
- The German plans do not indicate a specific deadline for OEM lines planned in the EDP beyond
2023. German authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2040, but there is no
confirmation whether OEM will be equipped by 2030.
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- In Bulgaria, the Radomir – Kulata line and the Brusartsi – Mezdra line are planned to be
equiped by 2034 and 2037
- In Greece, lines from Thessaloniki to the Turkish border and from Kalambaka to Igoumenitsa
are planned beyond 2030 according to the Greece deployment plans.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the OEM
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 38 Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
According to the German plans, all German sections planned in the EDP by 2023 will be delayed, and
their commissioning is expected by 2025 and 2026. Regarding German sections planned in the EDP
beyond 2023, although the entire German network is set to be equipped by 2040, there are no specific
deadlines for OEM sections.
In Czechia, most of the lines planned in the EDP by 2023 are currently in operation, including the cross-
border sections with Slovakia and Austria. According to the Czech plans, all OEM sections will be
operational by 2030.
There are two Austrian lines belonging to the OEM, one of them is in operation (Czech border – Wien),
and the other (Wien – Hungarian border) is planned by 2023 according to the Austrian plan.
According to Slovakian national plans, all OEM sections in Slovakia will be in operation by 2030.
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According to Bulgarian national plans, all OEM sections in Bulgaria will be in operation by 2030, except
for the Radomir – Kulata line and the Brusartsi – Mezdra line which are planned by 2034 and
2037.According to the Hungarian plans, OEM sections in Hungary are planned to be in operation by
2023.
The Curtici – Arad line is currently equipped with ETCS in OEM but not yet in operation in Romania. All
OEM sections in the Romania are planned to be equiped by 2026, 2028 and 2030, respectively.
In Greece, sections planned in the EDP by 2020 are delayed. According to the Greece deployment
plans, the OEM will be equipped by 2030 except for the lines from Thessaloniki to the Turkish border
and Kalambaka to Igoumenitsa.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the OEM corridor new sections in
Bulgaria and Greece that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this
extension, the total OEM corridor length has been increased to 6 480 km.
Figure 39 Orient/East - Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Rhine-Alpine Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the RALP corridor is 3 460 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 640 km and 2 270 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 29% of RALP, while GSM-R is operational on 99% of the corridor. According to the EDP, ETCS is
planned to be put in operation on 66% of the corridor by 2023 (the highest planned ETCS deployment
of the CNC). In June 2022, 44% of the RALP length planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with
ETCS. Given the current deployment figures and considering that some Member States have already
notified delays in implementation, it will not be possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by
2023. The following graphs show the status of ETCS deployment by the Member States on the RALP as
a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 40 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor
The following bottlenecks regarding the 2030 compliance have been identified:
- According to the Dutch plans, both the Rosendaal – Vlissingen and Utrecht – Zevenaar lines
will be deployed beyond 2030. The remaining sections are planned for 2030.
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- The German plans do not indicate a specific deadline for RALP lines planned in the EDP beyond
2023 (e.g., Frankfurt, Mannheim and Karlsruhe). German authorities envisage full network
equipment with ETCS by 2040, but there is no confirmation whether RALP will be equipped by
2030.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the RALP
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 41 Rhine-Alpine Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
The lines currently in operation in The Netherlands had been already commissioned when the EDP was
published in 2017. All remaining Dutch sections are planned by 2030, both in the EDP and in the Dutch
plan, except for Rosendaal – Vlissingen and Utrecht – Zevenaar lines.
Although Germany had some sections planned to be in operation according to the EDP by 2021, all
German sections planned in the EDP by 2023 will be delayed. According to the German plan, their
commissioning is expected between 2024 and 2028. Regarding German sections planned in the EDP
beyond 2023, although the entire German network will be equipped by 2040, there are no specific
deadlines for some RALP sections in the German plans.
In Belgium, many of the sections are delayed. However, the Belgian authorities still plan the entire
Belgian network to be equipped by 2025.
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In Switzerland, the deployment is almost finalised, and all its sections will achieve the status of ETCS
without restrictions by 2022.
In Italy, most of the sections planned in the EDP by 2023 are delayed, but all sections in the corridor
are planned by Italian authorities to be equipped by 2026.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. However, the CEF 2 extension did not add to the RALP corridor
new sections that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC.
Figure 42 Rhine-Alpine Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Rhine-Danube Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the RDN corridor is 5 910 km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 570 km and 2 060 km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 7% of RDN, while GSM-R is operational on 59% of the corridor. In June 2022, 19% of the RDN length
planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures and
considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not be
possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status of
ETCS deployment by Member States on the RDN as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 43 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Rhine-Danube Corridor
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The following bottlenecks regarding the 2030 compliance have been identified:
- The German plans do not indicate a specific deadline for RDN lines planned in the EDP beyond
2023. German authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2040, but there is no
confirmation if RDN will be equipped by 2030.
2. EDP compliance
In the following scheme, the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the RDN corridor
are shown:
Figure 44 Rhine-Danube Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
In France, only one line is included on the RDN corridor, from Strasbourg to the German border, whose
commissioning is expected by 2025 according to the French plan.
In Germany, there are no lines ETCS in operation yet. According to the German plan, German sections
planned in the EDP by 2023 will be delayed, and their commissioning is expected by 2025. Regarding
German sections planned in the EDP beyond 2023, although the entire German network will be
equipped by 2040, there are no specific deadlines for RDN sections in the German plans.
In Czechia, there are some lines in operation on RDN. The Czech sections planned in the EDP for 2020
and 2021 will be delayed until 2023 and 2022, respectively. The commission of the Czech section of
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the cross-border between Czechia and Germany is planned by 2022, however this is technically
possible only in cooperation with Germany, whose section is planned by 2025. Other RDN sections are
planned by 2030 according to the Czech plans.
Austria's lines currently in operation had been already commissioned when the EDP was published in
2017. The Austria sections planned in the EDP by 2022 will be delayed until 2023. All remaining
Austrian sections are planned by 2030, both in the EDP and the Austrian plan.
The line currently in operation in Slovakia had been already commissioned when the EDP was
published in 2017. The Slovak deployment plan is in line with EDP. Therefore, all RDN sections will be
commissioned by 2030.
In Hungary, there are no lines in operation on RDN. According to the Hungarian plan, RDN sections will
be commissioned by 2023.
In Romania, there are some lines currently equipped with ETCS on RDN but only the Brazi – Buftea line
(closeto Bucharest) is in operation. According to the Romanian plans, all the Romanian lines in the RDN
will be in operation by 2030.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the RDM corridor new sections in
Romania that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC. Considering this extension, the
total RDN corridor length has been increased to 5 910 Km.
Figure 45 Rhine-Danube Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor
1. The ERTMS deployment
The total length of the SCM corridor is 11 925 Km, including the CEF 2 extension. According to the EDP,
1 255 Km and 1 850 Km are expected to be operational by 2021 and 2023. Overall, ETCS is operational
on 10% of SCM, while GSM-R is operational on 93% of the corridor. In June 2022, 37% of the SCM
length planned in the EDP by 2023 was in operation with ETCS. Given the current deployment figures
and considering that some Member States have already notified delays in implementation, it will not
be possible to meet the EDP deadlines in this corridor by 2023. The following graphs show the status
of ETCS deployment by Member States on the SCM as a percentage of the 2023 and 2030 targets.
Figure 46 ETCS deployment by Member States on the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor
The main bottlenecks threatening compliance with the 2030 targets are the following:
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- In Finland, the commissioning of all SCM sections is planned by 2034 and 2036, except for the
line from Turku/Naantali to Karjaa (located between Turku and Helsinki) that is planned by
2029.
- In Norway, the cross-border section between Sweden and Oslo is expected to be
commissioned with ETCS by 2034, according to the Norwegian plan.
- The Swedish plans do not indicate a specific deadline for the SCM lines included in the CEF 2
extension. Swedish authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2035, but there
is no confirmation if the SCM lines will be equipped by 2030.
- The German plans do not indicate a specific deadline for SCM lines planned in the EDP beyond
2023. German authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2040, but there is no
confirmation if SCM will be equipped by 2030.
2. EDP compliance
The following scheme shows the state of play and deadlines for the ERTMS deployment in the SCM
corridor, considering the dates of the EDP:
Figure 47 Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment plan
According to the Finnish plan, the commissioning of most SCM sections is planned by 2034 and 2036.
Only one section, from Turku/Naantali to Karjaa (located between Turku and Helsinki), will be
commissioned by 2030.
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In Norway, there are two lines on the SCM corridor. Both lines connect Norway with Sweden. According
to the Norwegian plan, the commissioning of the Narvik – Swedish border is planned by 2027 and Oslo
– Swedish borderline is planned by 2034.
In Sweden, there are already some lines in operation in SCM. According to the Swedish plans, the
remaining sections are planned by 2030, except for sections included in CEF 2 extension. Swedish
authorities envisage full network equipment with ETCS by 2035, but there is no confirmation if CEF 2
sections will be equipped by 2030.
In Denmark, there are already some lines in operation on SCM. The remaining sections will be
commissioned between 2022 and 2030, except for the line currently equipped with no train system
protection, i.e., the last mile of Hjørring - Hirtshals section in the north of Denmark.
In Germany, there are already some lines in operation on SCM. According to the German plan, some
sections planned in the EDP by 2023 will be delayed, and their commissioning is expected between
2025 and 2026. Regarding German sections planned in the EDP beyond 2023, although the entire
German network will be equipped by 2040, most SCM sections have no specific deadlines.
In Austria, the line from the Italian cross-border (Brenero) to the German cross-border (Kufstein) had
been already commissioned when the EDP was published in 2017. According to the Austrian plans, the
remaining SCM section will be commissioned by 2030.
In Italy, there are already some lines in operation in SCM. According to the Italian plans, some sections
planned in the EDP by 2018 and 2020 are delayed, and their commissioning is expected by2023. The
remaining lines are planned to be equipped by 2030.
CNC corridors were extended in 2021. The CEF 2 extension added to the SCM corridor new sections in
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden that in the framework of CEF 1 did not belong to any CNC.
Considering this extension, the total SCM corridor length has been increased to 11 925 Km.
Figure 48 Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor ERTMS deployment status
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Annex II State of play of EDPs
At the time of publishing the EDP, around 3 700 km were in operation with ETCS.
According to the EDP, around 1 400 km should have been put in operation in 2017 in the following
countries.
Km to equip in
Country Comments Km pending
2017
Belgium 78.27 Already in operation end 2017 0
157.77 Km in operation end 2018 and 56.17
Bulgaria 213.94 0
Km in operation end 2019
France 307.98 Already in operation end 2017 0
28.15 Km in operation in 2018
Italy 49.15 0
21.00 Km in operation in 2020
Luxembourg 11.79 Already in operation end 2017 0
Slovenia 389.40 291.40 Km already in operation end 2017 98
347.93 Km already in operation end 2017
Switzerland 359.56 4.35
7.28 Km already in operation end of 2018
Total 1410.09 102.35
Table 7 EDP overview 2017
According to the EDP, around 1800 km should have been put in operation with ETCS in 2018.
Km to equip in
Country Comments Km pending
2018
Czechia 267.15 In operation end 2018 0
Denmark 61.16 In operation in May 2019 0
Hungary 384.75 384.75
Italy 288.40 57.83 Km in operation in 2020 230.57
Poland 383.21 341.27 Km in operation in 2020 41.94
Romania 414.52 414.52 45
Total 1799.19 1 071.78
Table 8 EDP overview 2018
According to the EDP, in 2019, only the following kilometres from Spain should have been put in
operation.
Km to equip in
Country Comments Km pending
2019
Spain 188.19 188.19
Total 188.19 188.19
Table 9 EDP overview 2019
45
There are 410 Km in Romania already equipped with ETCS but not authorised.
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According to the EDP, around 4000 km should have been put in operation in 2020 in the following
countries.
Km to equip in
Country Comments Km pending
2020
Belgium 277.64 2.5 Km in operation since 2016. 209.75
11.5 Km in operation since 2020.
53.9 Km in operation in 2021.
Bulgaria 24.80 24.80
Czechia 270.72 206.9 Km in operation since 2020. 63,83
France 321.27 321.27
Germany 446.20 113 Km in operation since 2017. 333.21
Greece 523.29 523.29
Hungary 238.18 238.18
Italy 680.91 33.48 Km in operation in 2020 647.43
Romania 158.54 158.54
37.4 Km in operation since 2018.
Spain 985.54 121.3 Km in operation since 2019. 695.07
68.9 Km in operation since 2020.
62.8 Km in operation in 2021.
Switzerland 17.44 17.44
Total 3944.52 3 232.79
Table 10 EDP overview 2020
According to the EDP, around 800 km should be put in operation in 2021 in the following countries. It
is noted that no section has been put in operation yet.
Km to equip in
Country Comments Km pending
2021
Belgium 58.31 58.31
Bulgaria 295.66 295.66
Czechia 102.23 102.23
Denmark 190.69 190.69
Romania 127.10 127.10
Total 773.99 773.99
Table 11 EDP overview 2021
The following table includes the delayed lines that should be already in operation according to the EDP.
The lines in the table are sorted by country, then by new target date and finally by CNC information.
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EDP
Length
Country CNC Line Comments target New target date
(km)
date
The section Y.Luchtbal <-->
Y.Sint-Mariaburg is already
Noorderdokken - Border
Belgium NSB - NSM 21.38 operational. The 2020 No date
BE/NL (Essen/Roosendaal) commissioning for the rest of
the line is expected by 2020.
This line has already three
sections in operation with
ETCS L1, these sections are
Y.Walenhoek <-->
Waaslandhaven Noord,
Antwerpen-W.H.-B.Kallo <-->
RALP -
Belgium 9.68 Antwerpen port Y.Kattestraat and 2020 2025
NSM Waaslandhaven Noord <-->
Y.Beverenpolder.
The commissioning of the
ETCS L1 for the section
Antwerpen - Y.Walenhoek is
planned by 2021.
Belgium RALP 20.60 Visé - Liège 2020 No date
Most of the line is already
equipped with ETCS. Only
Belgium RALP 16.56 Gent - Bruxelles/Brussels both connections -with Gent 2020 2022
and Brussels- are not
operational.
Belgium NSM 15.13 Aarschot - Leuven 2020 2023
The section Y.Nazareth <-->
NSB - RALP Aarschot – Antwerpen
Belgium 41.82 Lierre is already equipped 2020 2023
- NSM with ETCS L1.
This line could be divided
into two sub-lines: Y.Noord
Driehoek Ledeberg - Brugge
RALP - and Zeebrugge-Vorming –
Belgium 58.00 Zeebruge - Brugge - Gent Brugge, which
2020 2023
NSM
commissioning dates have
been delayed until 2023 and
2021, respectively.
Visé-Haut - Border BE/DE
Belgium RALP 26.58 2020 2023
(Botzelaer)
RALP -
Belgium 58.31 Gent - Antwerpen 2021 2023
NSM
Bulgaria OEM 24.80 Sofia - Elin Pelin 2020 2025
Bulgaria OEM 295.66 Plovdiv- Mihaylovo - Burgas 2021 2024
OEM -
Czechia 102.23 Česká Třebová - Přerov 2021 2023
RDN
OEM -
Czechia 63.83 Praha - Kolin 2020 2023
RDN
Mogenstrup – Nykøbing
section (60 km) is planned
Ringsted - Mogenstrup -
Denmark SCM 82.73 by 2022 and Ringsted – 2021 2022/2028
Nykøbing
Mogenstrup section is
planned by 2028
Denmark SCM 107.97 Korsør - Odense - Snoghøj 2021 2027
France NSM 31.42 Thionville - Metz 2020 2022
France ATL - NSM 28.12 Metz – Rémilly 2020 2025
Rémilly - Strasbourg
France ATL - NSM 122.86 2020 2025
(conventional)
Strasbourg - Mulhouse -
France NSM 138.88 2020 2025
Border FR/CH (Basel)
Border DK/DE (Padborg) -
Germany SCM 6.08 2020 2023
Flensburg Weiche
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EDP
Length
Country CNC Line Comments target New target date
(km)
date
Border PL/DE
Germany NSB 4.80 (Bundesgrenze/Oderbruecke) 2020 2025
- Frankfurt/Oder
Germany NSB 56.22 Frankfurt/Oder - Erkner 2020 2025
Germany RALP 89.78 Koblenz - Bingen - Mainz 2020 2025
Germany RALP 87.99 Köln - Rolandseck - Koblenz 2020 2025
RALP -
Germany 63.54 Appenweier - Karlsruhe 2020 2025
RDN
Köln – Troisdorf
Germany RALP 18.08 2020 2028
(Conventional)
Passau - Border DE/AT
Germany RDN 0.43 2020 2028
(Passau/Ingling)
Aachen - Border DE/BE
Germany NSB - RALP 6.28 2020 2029
(Botzelaer)
According to the Greek
NIP, the installation is
completed. However, it
Greece OEM 1.93 Acharnes - Gefyres 2020 2022
will be ETCS in operation
without restrictions by
2022.
Border BG/EL
Greece OEM 343.17 (Kulata/Promachonas) - 2020 2022
Thessaloniki - Palaiofarsalos
Greece OEM 21.14 Palaiofarsalos - Domokos 2020 2022
Greece OEM 157.05 Tithorea- Acharnes 2020 2023
Székesfehérvár - Budapest
Hungary MED 58.31 2018 2023
Kelenföld
Migration from ETCS L1
Hungary MED 96.09 Border SI/HU (Hodos) - Boba PreBaseline to ETCS L2 2018 2024
Baseline 2.
Pusztaszabolcs - Budapest
Hungary MED 47.95 2020 2024
Kelenföld
Hungary MED 57.65 Budapest Rákos - Hatvan 2020 2024
The section Budapest
Kelenfold <--> Budapest
MED - Ferencvaros is in
Hungary OEM – 9.59 Budapest node operation. On the 2018 2023
RDN remaining sections of the
line, the commissioning is
expected by 2023.
OEM –
Hungary 116.78 Szajol - Border RO/HU 2018 2023
RDN
MED -
Hungary OEM – 103.99 Budapest - Szajol 2018 2023
RDN
Border HU/SK This line is already in No upgrading
OEM -
Hungary 14.24 (Petrzalka/Rajka) - operation with ETCS L1 2020 planned for the
RDN
Hegyeshalom PreBaseline. time being
Szajol - Püspökladány -
Hungary MED 108.53 2020 2023
Debrecen
MED - According to the HU NIP,
Budapest Ferencváros -
Hungary OEM - 9.81 this line should have been 2020 No date
Budapest Rákos
RDN commissioned by 2019.
Italy MED 132.61 Milano - Verona 2020 2022
MED -
Italy 29.84 Rho - Milano 2020 2022
RALP
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EDP
Length
Country CNC Line Comments target New target date
(km)
date
Italy RALP 48.53 Milano - Chiasso 2018 2023
The section from Firenze
Statuto to Arezzo Nord
Junction is in operation.
On the Arezzo - Orvieto
section, the
Direttissima Roma – Firenze
Italy SCM 185.56 commissioning is 2018 2023
(Settebagni - Orte - Arezzo)
planned by 2022, and the
Orvieto - Settebagni
section the
commissioning is
expected by 2023.
Italy SCM 26.95 Settebagni - Roma 2020 2023
Bivio d' Aurisina - Villa Opicina
Italy BAC - MED 17.01 2020 2023
- Border IT/SI (Sežana)
Portoguaro - Cervignano -
Italy BAC - MED 55.55 2020 2023
Bivio d' Aurisina
Ronchi dei Legionari Sud -
Italy BAC - MED 16.58 2020 2023
Bivio d'Aurisina
Venezia – Padova
Italy BAC - MED 29.09 2020 2023
(Freight)
Vicenza - Portoguaro
Italy BAC - MED (108.42) (*) 2020 2023
(diversionary line)
Italy MED 14.23 Bivio d' Aurisina - Trieste 2020 2023
Italy MED 83.40 Verona - Vicenza - Padova 2020 2022
Italy RALP 75.62 Milano - Tortona 2020 2025
Tortona - Genova
Italy RALP (57.89) (*) 2020 2025
(Diversionary line)
Border AT/IT (Brennero) -
Italy SCM (42.44) (*) 2020 2023
Fortezza
Italy SCM 181.44 Fortezza - Verona 2020 2023
Poland BAC – NSB 32.81 Warszawa - Grodzisk Maz. 2018 2022
Branch from Gdansk to
Poland BAC 9.13 Gdynia/Gdańsk - Warszawa 2018 2022
the port of Gdansk
Section already equipped
OEM –
Romania 26.22 Border RO/HU (Curtici) - Arad with ETCS but not 2018 2023
RDN
authorised
Section already equipped
OEM -
Romania 219.06 București - Fetești - Constanța with ETCS but not 2018 2022
RDN
authorised
Section already equipped
Romania RDN 165.67 Simeria- Sighișoara with ETCS but not 2018 2025
authorised
Romania RDN 127.10 Sighișoara - Brașov 2021 2026
Arad - Km. 614 section
Romania RDN 158.54 Arad - Simeria already equipped with 2020 2025
ETCS but not authorised
RO/BG Border (Vidin) -
Romania OEM 3.57 2018 2028
Calafat
ETCS authorized but
Slovenia BAC-MED 74.23 Pragersko - Zidani Most 2017 2022
temporary out of use.
Slovenia BAC-MED 23.76 Divaca - Koper 2017 2025
Spain ATL 62.94 Cáceres - Mérida 2020 2022
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EDP
Length
Country CNC Line Comments target New target date
(km)
date
The section Valladolid
Campo Grande <--> Venta
de Baños is in operation
Valladolid – Burgos (High- (not included in the
Spain ATL 167.34 2020 2022
speed) 167.34 Km). For the rest
of the line, its
commissioning is
expected by 2021.
La Encina - Valencia (High-
Spain MED 103.67 2020 2022
speed)
It is just a side of this line
(Monforte del Cid <-->
Murcia - Elche - Monforte del
Spain MED 10.49 Murcia (part 3)). The rest 2020 2022
Cid
of the line is already
operational.
Tarragona - Castellbisbal -
Spain MED 105.51 2020 2022
Barcelona
The section Vandellos <--
> Camp de Tarragona is in
operation (not included in
Valencia – Tarragona (high-
Spain MED 212.80 the 212.80 Km). For the 2020 2022
speed)
rest of the line, its
commissioning is
expected by 2021.
Barcelona - Border ES/FR
(Figueras) (Barcelona El Prat
Spain MED 7.99 de Llobregat <--> Barcelona According to the ES NIP. 2020 2022
Sants)
La Llagosta - Nudo Mollet -
Spain MED 24.33 According to the ES NIP. 2020 2022
Castellbisball
Spain ATL 94.82 Bergara - Irún (Border ES/FR) According to the ES NIP. 2019 2023
Spain ATL 93.37 Vitoria - Bergara/ - Bilbao According to the ES NIP. 2019 2023
This section will be in
Switzerland RALP 4.35 Border DE/CH - Basel operation without 2017 2022
restrictions by 2021.
Sant' Antonino – Vezia
Switzerland RALP 17.44 2020 2022
(Giubiasco <--> Vezia)
Table 12 Summary of current status sections delayed
(*) These lines are not included in the CNC in TEN-T but are planned by 2020 in the EDP.
Legend:
Delayed but still by 2023
Delayed beyond 2023
No date
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Annex III State of play of cross border sections
The ERTMS EDP, drafted in 2017 46, stipulates in Article 2(3) that railway infrastructure managers
should, after having consulted the railway undertakings affected, sign an agreement on technical and
operational aspects of the deployment for each cross-border section. There should be a common effort
in cross-border agreements to avoid bottlenecks at the operations stage. The agreement should be
signed no later than one year before the deployment dates for the given cross-border section, and the
Member States should notify such agreements to the Commission no later than one month after the
conclusion.
According to data gathered until June 2022, seven cross border sections are currently equipped with
ETCS (i.e. sections on both sides of the border are equipped with ETCS), 15 cross border sections have
ETCS on just one side of the border, and 48 cross-border sections are not equipped with ETCS at all. Of
the latter, 20 cross-border sections do have at least one side of the border under construction.
The following figure indicates the ETCS status of the 70 CNC cross border sections:
Figure 49 ETCS deployment status in CNC in June 2022
According to the EDP, 23 cross border sections should be equipped with ETCS by 2023 47.
46
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6 of 5 January 2017 on the European Rail Traffic Management
System European deployment plan.
47
Cross borders belong to CEF 2 extension are not included in the EDP. Therefore, due to all of them belong to
the Core Network, they should be commissioned by 2030 according to TEN-T Guidelines.
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Table 13 Summary CB expected by 2023 and 2030
49 cross-border agreements are expected by 2030; 21 of them are expected by 2023, according to the
EDP. Currently, seven cross-border agreements have been received: 2 of them belong to the 21 cross
border agreements expected by 2023, 1 of them belong to cross border agreements expected beyond
2023, and 4 of them were not expected because at least one of their border sections were equipped
with ETCS when the EDP was published, have 2017 as EDP deadline or, in case of cross-border sections
added to CNC by CEF2 extension, at least one of their border sections was equipped with ETCS in 2021
when the CEF2 extension was published.
CB agreements not
CB agreements are CB agreements expected
covered by Article 2 (3)
expected by 2023 beyond 2023
EDP
CB agreements expected
21 cross-border agreements 21 cross-border agreements 28 cross-border agreements
according to EDP
Four cross-border Two cross-border One cross-border agreement:
agreements: agreements: • Oslo – Goteborg (NO/SE)
• Hodos (HU/SI) • Budapest -Curtici
CB agreements received • Kalsruhe – Basel (DE/CH) (HU/RO)
• Raron – Domodossola • Malmo – Kovenhavn
(IT/CH) (DE/SE)
• Chiasso (IT/CH)
Percentage is not relevant
% of CB agreement
because these agreements 10 % 4%
received are not expected
Table 14 Summary CB agreements expected by 2023 and beyond 2023
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Annex IV ERTMS governance
ERA
The European Union agency for railways (ERA) is the system authority for ERTMS, ensuring the
specifications are maintained and managed in accordance with the requirements of stability and
compatibility and helping the implementation of the system.
Since the 2016 Interoperability Directive, ERA has additional roles for ERTMS to system authority which
are:
• Delivering vehicle authorizations. ERA is the authorising entity of any new or modified
international vehicle. This includes vehicles equipped with ERTMS or retrofit projects where
ERTMS is equipped in already existing vehicles. For vehicles that operate within a single
Member State, the applicant for the authorisation may choose between the national safety
authority and ERA as authorising entities.
• Approvals of the ERTMS trackside projects. ERA checks that the technical solutions envisaged
in ERTMS trackside projects are interoperable to ensure the harmonised implementation of
ERTMS and interoperability at Union level. This approval is part of the application file that
infrastructure managers need to provide to the national safety authorities to authorise the
ERTMS subsystem installed in their networks.
In railway communications, the Agency defines the roadmap for the evolution of the operational rail
radio system given the expected end of GSM-R life expectancy. 2022 CCS TSI will contain the
specifications to achieve a future radio mobile communications system compatible with ETCS.
The Agency is also in charge of preventing additional national requirements in relation to the ERTMS
from jeopardising its interoperability. Stakeholders can request ERA advice to solve specific challenges
regarding technical compatibility in ongoing ERTMS projects. In addition, the Agency has a role in
helping stakeholders implement projects and render them compliant with CCS TSI.
Furthermore, the Agency chairs an ERTMS group of notified conformity assessment bodies that checks
the consistency of application of the procedure for assessing the conformity or suitability for use of an
interoperability constituent and of the ‘EC’ procedures for verification ERTMS subsystem. ERA also
supports accreditation bodies by giving appropriate guidelines and supporting the harmonised
accreditation of ERTMS laboratories.
ESC and RSC checks demonstrate the technical compatibility between the on-board and trackside CCS
Subsystems. These checks are only necessary to increase confidence in the CCS subsystems' technical
compatibility. ERA assesses the differing types of ESC and RSC and analyses the potential for reducing
the underlying technical divergences of ESC and RSC types.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
EU-Rail
Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) is the new European partnership on rail research and
innovation and the universal successor of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking.
Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking is responsible for the next iteration of ERTMS systems. The Governance
and bodies of EU-Rail as defined in the single basic act are:
(a) the Governing Board takes the overall direction of the activities of the Joint Undertaking,
transparently monitoring the progress of the master plan implementation.
(b) the Executive Director
(c) the states’ representatives group, including representatives of all Member States
(d) the System Pillar steering group as an advisory body of Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking in charge of
providing advice on System Pillar issues.
(e) the Deployment Group, which advises the Governing Board on the market uptake of rail innovation
A central task of the System Pillar is to coordinate and deliver the needed inputs to CCS TSI and
harmonised standards.
European Commission
European Commission sets out the policies for the ERTMS system, including requesting to the Agency
the updates of the technical specifications of interoperability and setting the priorities in the CEF
funded calls. The Commission supports the deployment of ERTMS through the ERTMS Deployment
Management Team.
European Coordinator for ERTMS
The European Coordinator for ERTMS is designated by the European Commission to facilitate the
coordinated implementation of ERTMS, with a special focus on the core network corridors. The
responsibilities include drawing a work plan collaborating with the Member States, and monitoring the
EDP. The Coordinator reports to the Parliament, and the Council on the development or difficulties
encountered to find appropriate solutions.
Bodies issuing ERTMS vehicle and trackside authorisations
Any new or modified railway vehicle must be authorised to operate on the EU railway network. An
authorisation is granted for a vehicle and/or vehicle type (vehicle type authorisation) or for individual
vehicles that conform to an already authorised vehicle type (vehicle authorisation for placing on the
market). For international vehicles, the authorising entity is ERA, while for national vehicles, the
applicant can choose between ERA and the NSA.
A short description of the vehicle authorisation process is drafted in the flowchart, including the
stakeholders involved in each stage.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 50 ERTMS vehicle authorisation process
Each national safety authority (NSA) authorises the placing in service of the trackside control-command
and signalling subsystems located or operated in the territory of its Member State. For this, they must
provide detailed guidance on obtaining the authorisations.
ERA conducts the ERTMS trackside approval to ensure a harmonised implementation of ERTMS and
interoperability at Union level. The ERTMS trackside approval is part of the application file for
authorisation for placing in service trackside control-command and signalling subsystems involving the
ETCS and/or the GSM-R equipment.
A short description of the trackside authorisation process is drafted in the flowchart, including the ERA
trackside approval and the stakeholders involved in each stage.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 51 ERTMS trackside authorisation process
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Annex V EU requirements for ERTMS deployment
Requirements and technical specifications related to ERTMS were introduced progressively since the
beginning of 2000 and have been amended over time.
Since they are not comparable, Trackside and on-board requirements should be analysed separately.
There are deployment obligations for all the high-speed lines and the sections part of the TEN-T
network. In contrast, there are different types of obligations for on-board deployment according to
the status of the vehicle (new, upgrade, area of use).
Trackside
The TEN-T Guidelines set a deadline for the ERTMS deployment on the Core Network by 2030 and the
Comprehensive Network by 2050. Based on the TEN-T Guidelines, the ERTMS European Deployment
Plan (EDP) sets deadlines for deploying ERTMS on some sections of the Core Network Corridors (CNC)
covering the 2017-2023 period.
Furthermore, ERTMS trackside deployment is also based on the CCS TSI (Regulation 2016/919/EC),
establishing obligations for fitting ETCS and GSM-R. In the case of ETCS, two main obligations are
presented in the following figure.
Figure 52 Trackside ETCS – EU obligations and exceptions
As shown in Figure 52, the TEN-T Guidelines set out that the Core Network should be fully equipped
by 2030, 48 with some sections exempted 49. The Core Network, i.e. 62 863 km without sections
exempted, represents 55% of the TEN-T Network 50. The remaining TEN-T Network, i.e. 51 095 km
without considering exemptions, should be equipped by 2050.
48
Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013, article 38, 3. “Member States shall take the appropriate measures for the core
network to be developed in order to comply with the provisions of this Chapter by 31 December 2030.”
49
Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013, article 39, 2a). “Isolated networks are exempt from requirements (i) to (iii). [(iii)
full deployment of ERTMS]”.
50
EU 27 + NO + CH
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Figure 53 According to EU legal obligations, expected ERTMS trackside deployment in line-km 51
On-board
The first obligations to fit new vehicles date back to the 2006 Commission Decision on CCS TSI for the
high-speed rail system 52.
Regarding the conventional rail system, the first obligations date back to the 2009 Commission
Decision on CCS TSI for conventional rail 53.
Afterwards, the Commission Decision on CCS TSI of the trans-European rail system 54 unified the
technical specification for high-speed and conventional rail systems in 2012.
51
Countries considered: EU 27, UK, NO and CH.
52
Commission Decision 2006/860/EC of 7 November 2006 concerning a technical specification for
interoperability relating to the control-command and signalling subsystem of the trans-European high-speed rail
system and modifying Annex A to Decision 2006/679/EC concerning the technical specification for
interoperability relating to the control-command and signalling subsystem of the trans-European conventional
rail system, §7.2.2. “It is mandatory to fit an ETCS on-board assembly when:
— any new train protection part of a CCS on-board assembly is installed, or
— any existing train protection part of a CCS on-board assembly is upgraded, where this would change the
functions, performances and/or interoperability-relevant interfaces of the existing legacy system (as referred to
in annex B of this TSI). This excludes those modifications that might be deemed necessary to mitigate safety
related defects in the legacy system;”
54
Commission Decision 2012/88/EU of 25 January 2012 on the technical specification for interoperability relating
to the control-command and signalling subsystems of the trans-European rail system, §7.3.3. “New locomotives,
new railcars and other new railway vehicles able to run without traction equipped with a driving cab, ordered
after 1 January 2012 or put into service after 1 January 2015, shall be equipped with ERTMS. This requirement
does not apply to new shunting locomotives or to other new locomotives, new railcars and other new railway
vehicles equipped with a driving cab, if they are designed exclusively for national service or regional border
crossing service. Member States may however introduce additional requirements at national level, in particular
with a view to:
1. allowing only ERTMS equipped locomotives to access ERTMS-equipped lines, so that existing national
systems can be decommissioned;
2. requesting that new shunting locomotives and/or other new railway vehicles equipped with a driving
cab, even if designed exclusively for national service or regional border crossing service, be equipped
with ERTMS.”
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The latest version of CCS Technical Specifications for Interoperability 55 establishes three types of
obligations for ERTMS fitment:
- For new vehicles, all new vehicles should be equipped with ERTMS.
- For upgrades: it states that it is only mandatory for high-speed vehicles.
- For extension of the area of use: it states that it is mandatory for all vehicles that are not
already equipped.
However, the CCS TSI also includes several exceptions for on-board ERTMS deployment 56 , and the
Member States may decide to be exempt from the obligation to equip 57.
Similar exclusions apply to extensions of the area of use for existing vehicles: if a new vehicle benefitted
from an exemption thanks to its area of use, and is then used in an area, which would have made it
ineligible for an exemption, then the vehicle should be equipped with ERTMS.
On-board obligations and exceptions are summarised in the following figure.
55
Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/919 of 27 May 2016 on the technical specification for interoperability
relating to the ‘control-command and signalling’ subsystems of the rail system in the European Union, amended
by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/776 of 16 May 2019, and by Commission Implementing
Regulation (EU) 2020/387 of 9 March 2020.
56
Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/919, §7.4.2.1 (2). “The requirement to be equipped with ETCS does not apply
to:
(1) new mobile railway infrastructure construction and maintenance equipment;
(2) new shunting locomotives;
(3) other new vehicles not intended for operating on high-speed lines;
(a) if they are intended exclusively for national service operated outside the corridors defined in point
Annex I of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6 and outside the lines ensuring the connections to the
main European ports, marshalling yards, freight terminals and freight transport areas defined in Article
2(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6; or
(b) if they are intended for off-TEN cross-border service, i.e., service until the first station in the
neighbouring country or to the first station where there are connections further in the neighbouring
country utilising only lines outside of the TEN.”
57
Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/919, §7.4.3 (2). “Member States may decide to exclude from the obligation
set out in the first paragraph of point 7.4.2.1 all new vehicles intended exclusively for national service except when
the area of use of those vehicles includes more than 150 km of a section currently equipped or to be equipped
with ERTMS within 5 years after the authorisation for placing in service of those vehicles. Member States shall
publish their decision for implementing this provision, notify such decision to the Commission and include it in the
National Implementation Plan referred to in point 7.4.4.”
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Figure 54 On-board ETCS – EU obligations and exceptions
Even though the current EU legal framework seeks to reinforce on-board deployment, it also includes
several exemptions that slow the progress to achieving full equipment of the EU fleet.
Regarding the GSM-R, the latest version of CCS TSI establishes the obligations presented in the
following figure.
Figure 55 Trackside and on-board GSM-R – EU obligations
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
(1) Note: Only in case of installing for the first time the radio communication part of a CCS trackside subsystem, which
excludes installing for the first time the train protection or the train detection part of the CCS trackside subsystem
or other subsystems than the CCS trackside subsystems. Being the definition of trackside CCS according to the
Directive 2016/797 as follow: “All the trackside equipment required to ensure safety and to command and control
movements of trains authorised to travel on the network.”
(2) “All the on-board equipment required to ensure safety and to command and control movements of trains
authorised to travel on the network”
(3) ‘Upgrading’ means any major modification work on a subsystem or part of it which results in a change in the
technical file accompanying the ‘EC’ declaration of verification, if that technical file exists, and which improves the
overall performance of the subsystem. (Article 2 Directive 2016/797
(4) Note: Only in case of installing for the first time the radio communication part of a CCS on-board subsystem, which
excludes installing for the first time the train protection of the CCS on-board subsystem or other subsystems than
the CCS on-board subsystems
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Annex VI Evolution of ERTMS
In the 1980 first discussions took place between European railways on a harmonised approach to train
management systems in Europe. Research projects were launched by the European Communities and
implemented by stakeholders. The 1996 EC Directive on interoperability for high-speed rail 58
introduced an interoperable control and command system and signalling and defined the
characteristics of ERTMS, albeit limited to high-speed rail.
At the end of 1990, a group of infrastructure managers with common interests (ERTMS Users’ Group)
created the initial version of ERTMS as we know it to demonstrate the feasibility of railway
interoperability. At the outset, the ERTMS User Group (EUG) consisted only of experts from
infrastructure managers. Still, they quickly detected the need to involve the signalling suppliers in
finalising the ERTMS technical specifications. The organisation of signalling companies, i.e. UNISIG,
produced the first ERTMS technical specifications in 2000.
In 2002, the European Commission included the ERTMS specifications in the control command and
signalling technical specifications for interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system 59.
Afterwards, in 2006 the first control command and signalling technical specifications for
interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system 60 were issued by the European
Commission. Only in 2012 the command and signalling technical specifications for interoperability 61
were merged, covering both the high-speed and conventional railways.
In 2005, the sector produced the first ERTMS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on
deployment strategies. To facilitate the implementation of that MoU, also in 2005, the European
Commission appointed Karel Vinck as the first European Coordinator for ERTMS.
Three other MoUs have followed that first MoU, addressing the main challenges at the given stage.
The last MoU adopted in 2016 established a framework providing legal and technical certainty for a
train equipped with the latest ERTMS release to run on any compatible line equipped with ERTMS.
Throughout these years of ERTMS development, the technical specifications have included two
different Baselines, i.e. two stable kernels of system functionality, performance and other non-
functional characteristics. The first reference version of the system was Baseline 2. In 2015 the revised
CCS TSI 62 included additional functions to the system kernel referred to as Baseline 3 maintenance
58
Council Directive 96/48/EC of 23 July 1996 on the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system
59
Commission Decision 2002/731/EC of 30 May 2002 concerning the technical specification for interoperability relating
to the control-command and signalling subsystem of the trans-European high-speed rail system referred to in Article
6(1) of Council Directive 96/48/EC
60
Commission Decision 2006/679/EC of 28 March 2006 concerning the technical specification for interoperability
relating to the control-command and signalling subsystem of the trans-European conventional rail system
61
Commission Decision 2012/88/EU of 25 January 2012 on the technical specification for interoperability relating to
the control-command and signalling subsystems of the trans-European rail system
62
Commission Decision (EU) 2015/14 of 5 January 2015 amending Decision 2012/88/EU on the technical specification
for interoperability relating to the control-command and signalling subsystems of the trans-European rail system
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release 1. Then, in 2016 Baseline 3 release 2 was issued with the inclusion of GPRS in the GSM-R
specification 63.
Figure 56 ERTMS milestone timeline
In 2017, two relevant documents were published. Firstly, the ERTMS European Deployment Plan
(EDP) 64 laid down target dates until 2023; about 30-40% of the Core Network Corridors should be
equipped. Secondly, the ERTMS: The way ahead65, the action plan that sets out the steps beyond the
legislative framework to address challenges to interoperable deployment.
A significant step toward achieving an interoperable rail system based on ERTMS was the Fourth
Railway Package, adopted in 2016 66. The technical pillar of the Fourth Railway Package provides for
important changes concerning ERTMS. It enhances the role of the European Union Agency for Railways
(ERA) as the ERTMS system authority. The set of measures introduced by the Fourth Railway Package
and the 2019 revision to the CCS TSI 67 enables more efficient authorisation processes. It leads to
63
Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/919 of 27 May 2016 on the technical specification for interoperability relating to
the ‘control-command and signalling’ subsystems of the rail system in the European Union
64
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/6 of 5 January 2017 on the European Rail Traffic Management
System European deployment plan
65
Commission Staff Working Document (2017) – Delivering an effective and interoperable European Rail Traffic
Management System (ERTMS) – the way ahead
66
The 'technical pillar' includes: Regulation (EU) 2016/796 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May
2016 on the European Union Agency for Railways and repealing Regulation (EC) No 881/2004; Directive (EU) 2016/797
of the European Parliament and of The Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system within the
European Union; Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of The Council of 11 May 2016 on railway
safety
67
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/776 of 16 May 2019 amending Commission Regulations (EU) No
321/2013, (EU) No 1299/2014, (EU) No 1301/2014, (EU) No 1302/2014, (EU) No 1303/2014 and (EU) 2016/919 and
Commission Implementing Decision 2011/665/EU as regards the alignment with Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the
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enhanced interoperability and compatibility between on-board and trackside subsystems. Based on
the Fourth Railway Package, ERA has issued vehicle authorisations and safety certificates in the
European Union and pre-authorising ERTMS trackside equipment since 2019.
In 2020, the rules for extending the area of use for existing vehicles were amended in the CCS TSI 68.
In 2021, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF 2 69) extended the Core Network Corridors defined in the
Connecting Europe Facility (CEF 1 70) in 2013.
European Parliament and of the Council and the implementation of specific objectives set out in Commission Delegated
Decision (EU) 2017/1474
68
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/387 of 9 March 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 321/2013, (EU)
No 1302/2014 and (EU) 2016/919 as regards the extension of the area of use and transition phases
69
Regulation (EU) 2021/1153 of the European Parliament and of The Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Connecting
Europe Facility and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1316/2013 and (EU) No 283/2014
70
Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and of The Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the
Connecting Europe Facility, amending Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 680/2007 and
(EC) No 67/2010
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Annex VII CEF supported ERTMS Actions’ portfolio
managed by CINEA
In the period 2014-2020, the following areas of intervention were the three principal ERTMS
priorities receiving CEF support:
1. ERTMS trackside deployment, including:
a. First deployment, i.e. first installation of ERTMS on a railway line already in operation.
b. Upgrade, i.e. equipment of the legally binding baseline on a railway line already in
operation and equipped with ERTMS compliant with a previous baseline.
c. Preparatory actions, i.e. activities preparing ERTMS deployment. The outcome of
preparatory actions is a basis for launching a tendering procedure for ERTMS works.
2. ERTMS on-board deployment, including:
a. Retrofit: i.e. first installation of ERTMS on existing vehicles, including prototypes and
serial retrofit.
b. Upgrade: i.e. installation of ERTMS Baseline 3 on existing vehicles equipped with pre-
Baseline 3, including prototypes and serial upgrade.
c. Fitment: installation of the ERTMS on new vehicles at the time of their manufacturing.
d. Training activities: i.e. specific ad-hoc expertise to assist small and medium-sized
enterprises (SME) beneficiaries.
3. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): activities contributing to the fulfilment of MoUs signed
between the European Commission and the railway sector. Related activities covered in particular
test campaigns (both in the field and in laboratories), assistance to ERA regarding the
development and maintenance of ERTMS specifications. MoU actions were only eligible under the
2014 dedicated ERTMS call.
Overall, 93 grant agreements aimed at CEF support to ERTMS-related actions have been signed under
the general and cohesion CEF envelopes until present, including:
• 75 actions under the dedicated ERTMS calls. These calls aimed predominantly at the ERTMS
deployment and covered additional necessary works, notably interlockings’ modernisation. The
initial CEF support for ERTMS deployment only within these actions amounted to EUR 1.13 billion
out of the total EUR 1.45 billion (including other necessary works like interlockings). Within this
portfolio, there is a group of 18 actions retained under blending calls with the support of EUR
176.1 million. These calls cover the particular involvement of financial institutions in ensuring the
budget to implement the Actions.
• 18 actions under the general Core Network Corridors (CNC) calls. These calls addressed railway
infrastructure works predominantly but covered, among others, the deployment of ERTMS
through so-called “combined” actions encompassing both modernisations of rail infrastructure
and the ERTMS deployment. The initial CEF support for the ERTMS deployment only within these
actions amounted to EUR 121.6 million out of the total EUR 3.7 billion.
By the 4th quarter of 2021, the actual portfolio of CEF supported actions with ERTMS component stands
at 74 ERTMS-related actions (both ongoing and successfully closed), including:
- 64 actions under dedicated ERTMS calls with EUR 797.8 million for ERTMS deployment only out
of the total CEF support amounting to EUR 1021.2 million.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
- 10 “combined” actions under the CNC calls with EUR 44.0 million for ERTMS deployment only out
of the total CEF funding of EUR 1.5 billion.
The decrease in the number of respective actions and related CEF funding is due to the termination or
modification of the signed grant agreements, resulting in the cancellation or reduction of the CEF
support for ERTMS activities.
The actions contribute predominantly to the ERTMS deployment and cover the following activities: i)
trackside or on-board ERTMS installation and ii) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) tasks.
Figure 57 shows that 36 actions contribute to trackside deployment (including studies), 36 actions to
on-board deployment and two actions to MoU. The bulk of CEF funding, EUR 508.4 million (60%), is
allocated to trackside, while the funding for on-board amounts to EUR 327.6 million (39%). Activities
related to MoU received EUR 5.7 million (1%) from CEF.
508.4
(36)
327.6
(36)
5.7
(2)
Trackside Onboard MoU
Figure 57 Actual CEF funding for ERTMS Actions per component, EUR million (number of actions)
As far as the trackside is concerned, the 36 actions help deploy ERTMS on a total of 5861 km of double-
track lines equivalent, with the following breakdown between the first deployment and upgrade:
1. First deployment along lines (4976 km, 85%)
2. Upgrade of already equipped lines (885 km, 15%)
As far as the on-board component is concerned, the 36 actions contribute to the deployment of ERTMS
on a total of 2874 vehicles, classified as follows:
1. (serial) retrofit (1565, i.e. 55%)
2. upgrade (637, i.e. 22%)
3. fitment (526, i.e. 18%)
4. prototype (146, i.e. 5%, both for retrofit and upgrade).
Figure 58 shows the actual distribution of CEF grants at the Member State level. A difference between
the involved Member States regarding the strategy of benefiting from the CEF fund for ERTMS can be
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
noted. Whereas Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Slovenia concentrate on trackside deployment,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovakia focus on on-board deployment. At the same time, other
Member States adopted a more balanced approach. Considerable parts of MoU activities are
implemented within multi-beneficiary actions gathering stakeholders from the different Member
States.
AT 0.1 (1)
BE 48.3 (10)
BG 3.1 (3)
CZ 120.6 (9)
DE 85.8 (9)
DK 15.5 (3)
EL 2.0 (1)
ES 56.9 (6)
FI 0.1 (1)
FR 129.2 (12)
HU 43.3 (4)
IT 104.1 (9)
LU 2.3 (2)
NL 27.3 (5)
PL 134.1 (2)
SE 56.0 (6)
SI 11.1 (3)
SK 1.9 (1)
UK 0.002 (1)
Trackside Onboard MoU
Figure 58 Actual CEF ERTMS funding per Member State and component, EUR million (number of actions)
Figure 59 shows the Member States with ERTMS CEF actions distinguishing between trackside and on-
board actions.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 59 Member States with ERTMS CEF actions
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Annex VIII Examples of national schemes addressing the
challenge of retrofitting
Norway
Norway decided to implement ERTMS Level 2 on its national railway network with a view to
implementing the new signalling system on the entire railway network by 2034. Taking into
consideration the available resources, the deployment will be done gradually. By the end of 2022, the
Nordlandsbanen north, from Grong to Bodø and the northern part of the Gjøvik line, from Roa to
Gjøvik, will have ERTMS deployed. Four years later, in 2026, the new signalling system will be used in
Oslo S. By 2034, all line sections will use the new signalling system.
Key facts
Type of support National grant
Time period 2014-2023
Total grant EUR 750 million (NOK 6 billion) 71
Maximum 50% of the eligible costs, with a maximum of:
Aid design NOK 5 million (EUR 502.720) per first of class installation;
NOK 2 million (EUR 201.088) per serial installation
The total cost of the deployment of ERTMS is estimated to be between EUR 1.7 and EUR 2.2 billion, of
which the Norwegian government approved NOK 6 billion (EUR 750 million) for the period 2014-2023
in the national transportation plan. The aid scheme supports 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of
NOK 5 million (EUR 502.720) per first in class installation and NOK 2 million (EUR 201.088) per serial
installation. The aid under the scheme cannot be combined with other forms of state aid if it would
result in rail vehicle owners receiving a higher level of aid than 50% of the eligible costs. 72
Description of the framework
Implementing ERTMS would require the retrofitting of around 550 vehicles of approximately 56
different types. All vehicles will also be provided with Specific Transmission Module (STM) units.
However, since railway interoperability already exists between Norway and Sweden, Norway’s
implementation of ERTMS will be synchronized with the Swedish one.
Norway has decided to assist railway undertakings (RU) in the project with a Financial Aid Scheme (FAS)
for which the Norwegian Railway Directorate is responsible and which is funded on the basis of the
Parliaments’ annual budget decisions. The Railway Directorate has delegated the management and
71
Rate of exchange used: reference date 13/12/2018 1 EUR = 9.94588 NOK
72
Financial Aid Scheme for ERTMS Onboard Implementation – Jernbanedirektoratet approved as State aid by the
EFTA Surveillance Authority with Decision 2016/C 357/09 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:E2016C0929(01)&from=LV
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
administration to Bane NOR, which leads the procurement and coordinates the implementation of
ERTMS onboard.
Bane NOR has entered into an on-board agreement with a single provider of ERTMS on-board
equipment selected based on an open tender procedure. The generic application is a system version
that fulfils the Bane NOR requirements and can be adapted to different vehicle types. This leads to
economic efficiencies and enables the deployment of ERTMS. Currently, the contract covers
retrofitting of 274 trains worth NOK 665 million (EUR 66 million). Bane NOR has entered into
“Cooperation Agreements” with each participating rolling stock owner (RSO) (currently, 14 RSOs are
involved) 73 to regulate roles and responsibilities and the intention to execute a joint acquisition led by
Bane NOR. The RSOs remain responsible for purchasing the necessary Specific Applications to retrofit
their fleet within the foreseen schedule. Therefore, each RSO needs to sign a separate “Specific
Onboard contract” contract with Alstom to cover their specific scope.
Figure 60 Norwegian financial scheme
To be eligible for the Financial Aid Scheme, both passenger and/or freight RSOs will have to meet the
below criteria:
• Own vehicles that operate on the Norwegian railway network (operated on the Norwegian
national railway network during 2016);
• Have signed a Cooperation Agreement with Bane NOR;
• Have signed the Onboard Contract with the supplier of ERTMS Onboard equipment.
73
https://www.banenor.no/Prosjekter/prosjekter/ertms/innhold/2018/alstom-to-deliver-ertms-onboard-
equipment/
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
The Netherlands
The Netherlands decided to roll out ERTMS Level 2 Baseline 3 as the sole signalling system on most of
the network (trackside). As a result, both passenger train sets and freight locomotives will have to be
upgraded under this scheme. The track-side upgrade is fully state-funded. The on-board deployment
of ERTMS on passenger train sets may be compensated fully via public service concessions.
Privately owned freight locomotives and On Track Machine (OTM) machines (yellow fleet) which are
built before July 2017 are in principle also eligible for state funding up to 50% of the eligible costs in
accordance with the European Commission’s guidelines on state aid for railway undertakings.
In addition, a dedicated funding scheme has been developed to support the owners of freight
locomotives whereby national funding is combined with CEF funding. In this scheme, 90% of the
eligible costs for the first in class (the prototype) and 50% for the serial upgrades was made available
for the freight locomotive owners. Additionally, a pre-condition of the CEF scheme was the option to
each a senior facility agreement (loan) at a national bank to finance the investment under attractive
conditions.
Key facts ERTMS BL3 upgrade for freight locomotives
Combined national / CEF Blending scheme for ERTMS BL3 upgrade
- First in class upgrade co-funded up to 90% of the eligible costs
Type of support
- Serial upgrades co-funded up to 50% of the eligible costs
- Senior loan facility agreement at Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten
(BNG) bank as option
Timeline 2018-2024
Total CEF budget EUR 23.81 million
4 first-in-class international multiple system locomotives (DANLP, DABNL,
DACHINL and DABNLCZSKHU)
Fleet
4 first-in-class international diesel locomotives (DBNL)
139 serial BL3 upgrades
Two CEF blending grants are currently in action: the scheme 2017-NL-TM-0046-W (EUR 17.74 million 74)
and the scheme 2017-NL-TM-0101W (EUR 6.07 million 75).
The amount granted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Min I&W) through the
Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO) is capped every year. The maximum budget available for ERTMS grants
74
https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport/2017-nl-tm-0046-w
75
https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport/2017-nl-tm-0101-w
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
was EUR 15 million in 2018, while in 2019, this was EUR 10 million. The Ministry confirmed that the
maximum budget available for ERTMS from 2020 to 2022 will be EUR 59.3 million 76.
In November 2019, the European Commission approved EUR 22.2 million of public support to be
provided by the Dutch government under European state aid rules to upgrade 99 cross-border freight
locomotives to ERTMS Baseline 3. The support will take the form of direct grants from the government
to the owners of the locomotives, covering prototyping and serial upgrades. This will be further
complemented by grants of EUR 23.8 million financed through the Connecting Europe Facility. 77
In the established scheme, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management acts as the project
promoter and beneficiary of the CEF funding, concluding CEF grant agreements with CINEA. The
Ministry provides also the national funding and is the guarantor of an amount of debt taken by RSOs.
In addition, the Ministry is contributing in-kind with the ERTMS program Project Management Team
for which ProRail has been appointed. This team develops terms of reference for the framework
agreement, to achieve scale effects and provides technical support for ERTMS installation. After
consultation with the suppliers, RSOs develop their budget for the ERTMS deployment, and every RSO
signs their own agreement with their respective suppliers. The cooperation of multiple RSOs and the
Project Management Team results in reducing costs and economies of scale.
Ministry IenW subsidy
ProRail
E G
ERTMS A
program
RvO B National
Agency Promotional Bank
D
INEA F H
C
Agency
Supplier B3
Vehicle owner (Implementing body) I
Upgrade
Figure 61 Dutch financing scheme (Source: Dutch ERTMS programme)
Additional support for the RSO’s was launched last year when CINEA launched a new CEF 2 ERTMS call.
Here the owners were invited to join a CEF application organised by the Project Management Team on
behalf of the ministry. As a result an application was forwarded to CINEA for the retrofit, upgrade and
new build of 661 passenger, freight and OTM vehicles.
Finally, the Netherlands is preparing a new national call for the retrofit and upgrade of (shunting/short
range) locomotives and OTM machines. The call is expected for end of 2022/early 2023, possibly in
combination with future CEF funding.
76
Subsidieregeling ERTMS – 07/02/2019 – Overheid - https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0041878/2019-02-07
77
Commission Decision not to raise objections to State aid, case SA.55451 (November 2019)
https://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=3_SA_55451
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Denmark
Denmark concluded that the national system in place was obsolete. As a result, Denmark was the first
country in the EU to decide to roll out ERTMS (Level 2, Baseline 3) across the whole state-owned
railway network.
Key Facts
Type of support National grant
Time period 2017–2025
Total grant DKK 55 million (EUR 7 million)
Aid design Max 50% of the eligible costs per unit
Fleet up to 30 locomotives (Estimated by the Danish authorities) 78
The total budget for the entire duration of the scheme is DKK 55 million (EUR 7 million) 79. The cost of
purchase and installation of Danish STM is eligible up to 100%. Costs for purchasing and installing ETCS
equipment are up to 50%. However, the total compensation cannot exceed 50% of the total direct
costs of purchasing and installing ETCS and Danish STM.
Description of the framework
To facilitate the implementation of ERTMS, the EC approved a scheme for partial compensation of rail
freight operators’ investments in on-board ERTMS equipment in 2017. The beneficiaries will be the
RUs, regardless of whether the locomotive concerned is owned or leased by the operator.
Compensations are granted in an open, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. The financial
scheme, funded by the Danish Government, uses direct grants to eligible freight operations from
Denmark's national rail Infrastructure Manager Banedanmark. This government agency reports to the
Danish Ministry of Transport.
Existing freight RUs with freight locomotives that have driven 50.000 train km or 5.000 operational
hours over the last five years are eligible but obliged to continue this operation in the following five-
year period. New railway undertakings must document that beneficiary locomotives will drive the
required number of kilometres/hours as stated above, plus a funding guarantee is required.
Apart from the financial aid scheme where a 50% state aid for freight RUs is provided by Denmark, a
different set-up for passenger RUs has been realised, a leasing scheme whereby Banedanmark
purchases OBU and leases them to passenger RUs. In the case of the RU, including DSB (Danske
StatsBaner), the national train operating company, and regional operators, the leasing fee is 0 EUR 80.
78
Rate of exchange: reference date 13/12/2018 1 EUR = 7.46550 DKK
79
State Aid SA.38283 (2015/N) – Denmark – Scheme for partial compensation of rail freight operators’
investments in on-board ERTMS equipment – July, 2017
https://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=3_SA_38283
80
Interview conducted on 21/06/2019 with members of the DK ERTMS Programme
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 62 Danish financing scheme
Note that Denmark received a CEF grant for onboard ERTMS deployment in 2015. Below is an overview
of CEF funded onboard ERTMS deployment project.
CEF %
Project: Period
Funding funded
2014-DK-TM-0300-W
Retrofitment of vehicles with ERTMS baseline 3 - Level 2 07/2015
Retrofitting of 6 DSB IC3, 14 DSB MQ, 8 Nordjyske Jernbaner's - 4.96 M€ 50%
Desiro (hereafter Jernbaner´s) and 31 ARRIVA Lint41 train units
12/2019
with ETCS Level 2, Baseline 3, including a prototype for each unit
type
Czechia
Czechia’s deployment of ERTMS is based on the target of full network coverage by 2040, ahead of the
current EU deadlines.
In 2021, under EU State assistance regulations, the European Commission granted EUR 134 million
(CZK 3.4 billion) in public funding to improve traffic management equipment for train rolling stock in
Czechia.
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
The support scheme aimed at equipping the rolling stock with ERTMS, which the Commission earlier
approved, was extended until 2022. The Commission decided that the measure's extension until 2022
and the increased public support comply with EU State aid laws 81.
Before this, the support was conducted through the TEN-T Guidelines 82. This support was aimed at the
implementation of ERTMS on Corridor E and the European freight corridors RFC 5 (Baltic Sea–Adriatic
Sea), RFC 7 (East-Mediterranean into which the original Corridor E has been integrated), and RFC 9
(Czech–Slovak corridor). These lines targeted for ERTMS development represent approximately 26%
of the Czech network. To achieve this, Czechia was also partly funding the ERTMS deployment on-
board.
Key Facts
Type of support National grant
2017-2021 (TEN-T)
Time period
2021-2027 (State aid for railway undertakings)
TEN-T: CZK 1 billion (EUR 39 million)
Total grant
State aid for railway undertakings: CZK 3.4 billion (EUR 134 million)
TEN-T: Maximum 50% of the eligible costs; 100% for Správa železnic (except
Aid design
for sub-programmes 3 & 5)
TEN-T: Approximately 1200 rail vehicles will be equipped with ETCS by 2022.
Fleet (under the 2nd stage)
The previous round of state aid that applied to 2017-2021 included up to 4.4 billion CZK (EUR 173
million) 83, covered in two different State Aid schemes in the period 2017-2021.
The first scheme, State aid SA 35948, started in 2009 with an initial duration of 5 years. The Commission
approved a request for prolongation till the end of 2013 84. The overall budget under this scheme,
CZK 1 billion (EUR 39 million) 85, remained unchanged. Note that 85 % of this scheme is from the
Cohesion Fund and 15% from the Czech state budget.
Moreover, another state aid scheme, SA.44621 “Individual subprograms for ensuring interoperability
in railway transport”, was approved in 2017 to ensure interoperability in railway transport. The notified
scheme aims to achieve interoperability through five sub-programmes with a total financial volume of
CZK 2.5 billion (EUR 97 million) and annually CZK 500 million (EUR 19 million), financed from the
81
CCT, 2021
82
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) No 1315/2013
83
Rate of exchange: reference date 13/12/2018 1 EUR = 25.7067 CZK
84
State aid SA 35948 (2012/N) December 2012 – Czech Republic - Prolongation of the interoperability scheme in
railway transport (ex N 469/2008)
85
Rate of exchange: reference date 13/12/2018 1 EUR = 25.7067 CZK
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Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Cohesion Fund. 86 The scheme's duration is from the beginning of 2017 until the end of December 2021.
The duration and financial volume of this scheme have been amended by the state aid scheme
SA.55861 (2019/N), in which the timeframe prolonged until the 31st of December and an increase in
the budget of CZK 3.4 billion (approximately EUR 134 million), and annually CZK 500 million
(approximately EUR 20 million). 87
Description of the framework
The state will support the fitting of vehicles with on‐board ETCS by combining two basic tools:
- funding of purchase and installation of on‐board ETCS to RUs and primarily covered from EU
funds (basic measure);
- granting a discount on the charge for the use of railway infrastructure (complementary
measure). 88
All RSOs, who have rolling stock operating in Czechia, will benefit from this aid in a non-discriminatory
way. The scheme benefits both licensed rail transport undertakings (passenger and freight) and the
railway Infrastructure Manager Správa železnic, a state entity to upgrade the rail network. To apply for
grants, individual calls are published for several sub-programmes separately or together. The
conditions, duration, and the number of funds to be shared out (broken down by sub-programme) will
be duly published on the contractor's website, including all required content.
Figure 63 Czech financing scheme
Below is an overview of the main CEF funded projects related to the on-board ERTMS deployment of
Czechia.
86
State aid SA.44621 (2016/N) – Czech Republic – Individual subprograms for ensuring interoperability in railway
transport. April 2017 https://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=3_SA_44621
87
State aid SA.55861 (2019/?) – Czech Republic – CZ ERTMS Prolongation. February 2020
https://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/cases1/202013/283390_2142283_100_2.pdf
88
National Implementation Plan ERTMS – Czech Republic - 2017
121
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
CEF %
Project: Period
Funding funded
2015-CZ-TM-0057-W
Deployment of ERTMS/ETCS onboard components compliant 03/2017
with ETCS Baseline 3 in ČD CARGO, a.s. vehicles on the Rail
- 27.5 M€ 85%
Freight/Core Network Corridors
12/2022
128 ČDC vehicles (3 prototypes + 125 vehicles) will be fully
interoperable for smooth international cooperation.
2015-CZ-TM-0136-W
Deployment of ERTMS/ETCS onboard components compliant 04/2017
with Baseline 3 in ČESKÉ DRÁHY
- 21.2 M€ 85%
Update of 99 vehicles of ČD (4prototypes and 95 retrofits),
12/2022
circulating on the Orient/East-Med, Rhine-Danube and Baltic-
Adriatic Core Network Corridors (CNC)
2016-CZ-TMC-0293-W
ERTMS in RegioJet
01/2018
On-board equipment of 9 locomotives Type Škoda 162 from
RegioJet a.s. with ERTMS/ETCS Level 2, Baseline 3, so that these - 2.1 M€ 85%
can seamlessly operate within Czechia, over the Rhine–Danube 12/2020
and the Orient/East-Med corridors into Slovakia before end of
2020, and later to Poland over the Baltic–Adriatic corridor.
Italy
As affirmed by the Italian Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility, 89 implementing the
ERTMS system is one of the three pillars on which the technological transformation of the Italian
railway infrastructure is based. Article 3 of the Law Decree 121/2021 called for establishing a fund that
will provide EUR 60 million annually from 2022 to 2026 for the deployment of on-board ERTMS 90.
Key facts
1. Federal funding
Type of support
2. CEF
1. 2018-2023
Timeline
2. 2021-2027
89
Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility (MIMS), 2021
90
Ferrovie.it, 2021
122
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Total annual budget 1. EUR 60.7 million
2. EUR 60 million (includes other onboard technologies)
Aid design - unknown
The goal of Italian authorities is to improve the performance and accessibility of Italy’s railway system
by extending the use of ERTMS to the whole Italian network. While today ERTMS is in operation on
758 km of lines, the objective is to equip 100 percent of the network and fleet with ERTMS by 2036,
far ahead of the current European deadline for the TEN-T network of 2050, to make the Italian railway
system one of the most modern in the world.
The on-board retrofitting on the Italian network is pursued, taking the Core Network Corridors into
account. The vehicles used in these corridors are given priority. This approach allows for reaping the
maximum ERTMS benefits during the migration period and shortening the payback period. Some of
the examples of retrofitting vehicles operating on the Core Network Corridors are shown below:
Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021-2027
In the summer of 2021, the multiannual framework covering CEF calls in the first three years was
approved. Among the different proposals for the CEF 2021 presented to the Ministry of Infrastructure
and Transport, three projects on the ERTMS on-board system and railway interoperability amount to
60.7 million euros 91.
RFI Tender
The total cost of RFI’s ERTMS implementation plan, covering the entire Italian network, is estimated at
around EUR 13 billion. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan will enable a first, important phase
(2020-2026), with funding equal to EUR 3.0 billion for equipping approximately 3400 km of track by
2026.
The financial sources scheme displayed in the ERTMS Implementation Plan in Italy is shown below.
91
Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructure and Mobility (MIMS), 2021
123
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Figure 64 Prospective Financials for Onboard ERTMS equipment according to the Italian ERTMS Deployment Plan 92
Trenitalia
The primary train operator in Italy, Trenitalia, obtained more than EUR 6 million of loans from the
European Investment Bank and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti to install the ERTMS system in its trains.
Specifically, the EIB provided EUR 4 million to equip 76 regional hybrid trains. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
contributed EUR 2.2 million to upgrade 12 high-speed trains destined for cross-border and
international traffic. 93 Thanks to these loans selected through the CEF programme, the High-Speed
trains will benefit from the ERTMS Baseline 3.
92
ERA, 2019
93
Ferrovie.it, 2021
124
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Germany
Due to its central location Germany constitutes the rail hub of Europe and, as such, plays a crucial role
in the ERTMS deployment. In the coming years, Germany will provide substantial financial resources
for modernising the rail system. One of the measures aims at retrofitting vehicles operating in the
Stuttgart metropolitan region (Stuttgart Digital Node). This pilot project is part of the starter package
for the national rollout of ERTMS (Digital Rail Germany).
Key Facts
Type of support Grants
Time period 2021-2025
Total grants 2021 – EUR 197 million
The prototypes are supported with up to 90% of the eligible costs, and the
Aid design
series fleet with up to 50%.
Prototypes: 10 vehicles and 14 service vehicles
Fleet
Series fleet: 323 local transport vehicles and 11 service vehicles
The German Transport Ministry has been running a flagship Digital Rail program since August 2021 to
turn the Stuttgart metropolitan region into a fully digital rail centre. The total investment will exceed
500 million euros by 2025. The new signalling system will improve the Stuttgart network's capacity,
sustainability, and frequency. In the Stuttgart Digital Node flagship project framework, Baden-
Wuerttemberg State Institute for Rail Vehicles (SFBW) has tendered the retrofitting of 118 regional
trains produced by several manufacturers. In parallel, Deutsche Bahn's DB Regio has also contracted
installation of ETCS on 215 Stuttgart S-Bahn trains 94.
Figure 65 Stuttgart Digital Node Project Map
94
Railway Technology, 2020
125
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Annex IX Glossary
• ERTMS - what is it about and how does it work?
ERTMS stands for ‘European Railway Traffic Management System’. It is a control, command, signalling,
and communication system adopted by the European Union as a standard, allowing an interoperable
rail framework in Europe. It enables a train equipped with an ERTMS on-board, produced by any
supplier, to run on track sections equipped with ERTMS, made by other suppliers. This also implies the
ability for any on-board equipment installed on any train to behave the same in the same
circumstances.
ERTMS consists of two systems:
• The ETCS (European Train Control System), a train control standard based on in-cab
equipment, can supervise train movements and stop them if the permitted speed on a given
section is exceeded. Information is received from the ETCS equipment on the trackside
(Eurobalises or radio) depending on the applicable level (see below). The driver’s response is
continuously monitored, and if necessary, the emergency brakes are activated automatically.
• GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications - Railways) is the second ERTMS system,
the European radio communications standard for railway operations. GSM-R uses exclusive
frequency bands and is based on GSM radio technology. GSM-R enables the communication
between the train driver and the traffic control centres and between the ETCS on-board system
and the Radio Block Centres (RBCs).
• ERTMS - Set of specifications and Baselines
A set of specifications is a list of documents with their versions as laid down in the Technical
Specification of Interoperability for Control-Command and Signalling (CCS TSI), i.e. the specifications
of components, interfaces, etc., concerning ERTMS. Each set of specifications includes both an ETCS
and a GSM-R Baseline.
A Baseline is defined by a stable kernel in terms of system functionalities. A new Baseline implies
significant changes to the kernel by changing existing or adding new features. Baseline evolution
should be backwards compatible, i.e. on-boards compliant with newer Baselines can run on a track
compliant with an older Baseline.
• ETCS - System Versions
The System Version is a concept of the ETCS system that refers to the version of the ETCS language in
the information exchanged between both trackside and on-board subsystems (i.e. packets, telegrams
and messages).
The System Version identifies the functionalities available to be used by these subsystems.
126
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
• ETCS - Levels
The level is a fundamental concept of the ETCS system. A short definition can be given as follows:
Level 1 allows continuous
supervision of train movement (i.e.
the on-board computer
continuously supervises the
maximum permitted speed and
calculates the braking curve to the
end of movement authority) while
non-continuous communication
between train and trackside,
generally through Eurobalises.
Lineside signals are necessary. Train
detection and train integrity (i.e.
verification that the train is
Figure 66 Level 1
complete and has not been
accidentally split) is performed by
the trackside equipment outside the
scope of ERTMS.
Level 2 allows continuous
supervision of train movement with
constant communication via GSM-R
between the train and trackside (i.e.
between ETCS on-board system and
Radio Block Centres). Lineside
signals are optional in this case, and
train detection and train integrity
checks are performed by the
trackside equipment outside the
Figure 67 Level 2
scope of ERTMS.
127
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Level 3 allows continuous train
supervision with continuous
communication between the train
and trackside (i.e. between ETCS on-
board system and Radio Block
Centres). The main difference with
Level 2 is that ERTMS manages the
train location and integrity, i.e. there
is no need for lineside signals or train
detection systems trackside other
than Eurobalises. Train integrity is Figure 68 Level 3
supervised by the train.
In addition, there are two more levels defined: Level 0, which applies to trains equipped with ETCS
running on non-equipped lines; and Level STM, which is meant for trains equipped with ETCS
running on lines where the Class B system needs to be operated. Regarding the STM level, ETCS
acts as an interface between the driver and the national ATP.
ETCS - Modes
Operation modes can be defined as conditions required for managing different situations regarding
the status of the trackside and the train. Unlike the ETCS levels (associated with train-trackside
communication), ETCS modes are related to the operational circumstances of the line or the on-board
equipment status.
The primary ETCS mode is Full supervision. The ETCS on-board equipment will be in Full Supervision
mode when all train and trackside data required for complete supervision of the train are available on-
board. In this mode, the on-board ETCS equipment is responsible for the train protection (always
ensuring that the maximum permitted speed and the end of movement authority are not exceeded).
The trackside ERTMS subsystem can also send modes related to specific information (e.g. the ‘Limited
Supervision mode’ allows the system to supervise train movements fully and enables the train to
operate in areas with incomplete available trackside information). In contrast to Full Supervision mode,
in Limited Supervision mode, the information is simplified (especially the description of the speed
restrictions on trackside), and the driver is responsible for the train’s movement.
There are also other modes for different operational situations. The following are some examples:
‘shunting mode’ (which is used in the shantung yards), ‘on-sight mode’ (which allows the train to enter
an occupied section) and a ‘staff responsible mode’ (which is a transition mode that allows train
movement when it is acquiring data from the trackside under driver’s responsibility).
128
Work Plan 2022 of the European Coordinator for ERTMS
Contact
Matthias Ruete
European Coordinator
[email protected]
Marcin Wójcik, Advisor
[email protected]
Website:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/
european-rail-traffic-management-system_en
129
Contact details:
Design & Layout by TENtec
European Commission – Directorate General for Mobility and Transport
Directorate B – Investment, Innovative & Sustainable Transport
Unit B1 – Transport Networks
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.htm
email:
[email protected]
Offices:
Rue Demot 28
1049 Brussels, Belgium
Saatja: KURPE Deimante (MOVE) <
[email protected]>
Saadetud: 15.07.2022 16:36
Adressaat: MKM info <
[email protected]>; VRTOVEC Jernej (MINISTRY OF
INFRASTRUCTURE) <
[email protected]>
Teema: The second work plan of Matthias Ruete, the European Coordinator
for ERTMS - letter to the Transport Ministers - Ares(2022)5166047
Manused: ERTMS work plan cover letter to the Transport Ministers_2.pdf;
ERTMS work plan - second edition_ final version_20220715.pdf
Your excellency,
Please find attached the second work plan of Matthias Ruete, the European
Coordinator for ERTMS, as well as cover letter.
Kind regards,
Secretariat unit MOVE.B1
Ref. Ares(2022)5166047 - 15/07/2022
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR MOBILITY AND TRANSPORT
Directorate B - Investment, Innovative & Sustainable Transport
The European Railway Traffic Management System
The European Coordinator
Brussels,
MOVE.DDG1.B.1/MR/5591692
Dr. Volker WISSING Ms Amélie de MONTCHALIN Mr Mark HARBERS
Federal Minister for Digital and Ministre de la Transition écologique Minister of Infrastructure and Water
Transport et de la Cohésion des territoires Management
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
ouv.fr
Ms Leonore GEWESSLER Mr Konstantinos A. Mr Andrzej ADAMCZYK
Federal Minister for Climate KARAMANLIS Minister of Infrastructure
Action, Environment, Energy, Minister of Infrastructure and
[email protected]
Mobility, Innovation and Transport
Technology
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mr Georges GILKINET Mr László PALKOVICS Mr Pedro Nuno SANTOS
Minister for Mobility Minister for Innovation and Minister of Infrastructures and Housing
[email protected] Technology
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mr Nikolay SABEV Mr Eamon RYAN Mr Martin KUPKA
Minister of Transport and Minister of Transport, Minister for Minister of Transport
Communications the Environment, Climate and
[email protected]
[email protected] Communications
[email protected]
Mr Oleg BUTKOVIĆ Mr Enrico GIOVANNINI Mr Sorin Mihai GRINDEANU
Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Minister of Sustainable Minister of Transport and
Infrastructure Infrastructures and Mobility Infrastructure
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Ms Trine BRAMSEN Mr Tālis LINKAITS Mr Andrej DOLEŽAL
Minister for Transport and Minister of Transport and Minister of Transport and Construction
minister for Gender Equality Communications
[email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Ms Raquel SÁNCHEZ Mr Marius SKUODIS Mr Jernej VRTOVEC
JIMÉNEZ Minister of Transport and Minister of Infrastructure
Ministra de Transportes, Communications
[email protected]
Movilidad y Agenda Urbana
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mr Taavi AAS Mr François BAUSCH Mr Tomas ENEROTH
Minister of Economic Affairs and Ministère de la Mobilité et des Minister for Infrastructure
Communications Travaux publics
[email protected]
[email protected] [email protected]
Mr Timo HARAKKA
Ministry of Transport and
Communications
[email protected]
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
[email protected]
Subject: The second work plan of Matthias Ruete, the European Coordinator
for ERTMS
Your excellency,
It is with great pleasure that I can today present you my second work plan as the European
Coordinator for ERTMS. This document is the result of discussions with stakeholders with
whom, despite the pandemic, I have had more than 200 meetings, many of them in the
framework of the European Year of Rail in 2021.
The work plan has also been extensively consulted with your services. I am incredibly
grateful for all comments made as they greatly helped improve the final version of the
work plan. I would like to reassure you that I thoroughly assessed each comment and took
well note of your concerns. I will follow them up in the months to come. I hasten to add
that although a great number of national ministries, stakeholders, and several Commission
services and European agencies have contributed, my work plan remains entirely my
responsibility.
Since my first work plan (May 2020), the base conditions for the ERTMS deployment have
vastly improved and become more favourable for an accelerated rollout. Fighting climate
change in the framework of the Green Deal, accelerating digitalisation and mobilising
recovery and resilience funds have been endorsed at the highest political level in the EU.
ERTMS is widely seen as providing solutions in this context.
My major message in the work plan is that we are on the threshold of moving to a Single
European Signalling and Safety System, which will form the basis for a true European
Traffic Management System. Major renewal, both of infrastructure and rail fleets, is
happening now and over the next fifteen years. Our objective must be to ensure the
necessary political backing for what is a major European industrial project for the
digitalisation of railways throughout the European Union.
My second work plan gives an overview of where we stand exactly, both for on-board and
trackside ERTMS deployment, analyses the next steps, and draws conclusions on what
needs to be done and what is still missing. I also report on the past ERTMS funding
possibilities and lessons learnt and outline the new funding sources aimed at supporting
ERTMS deployment. Furthermore, I present the forthcoming revision of the technical
specification for interoperability relating to the CCS and a precis of the ERTMS relevant
provisions of the proposed new TEN-T Guidelines.
The annexes contain detailed information on ERTMS deployment on the 9 Core Network
Corridors; progress of the European Deployment Plan; analysis of cross-border
agreements; ERTMS governance; an overview of the evolution of ERTMS; a presentation
of the portfolio of CEF supported ERTMS actions; an update on existing national schemes
to further on-board deployment; and a glossary of the key notions. I hope that you will find
this document of interest.
2
Allow me to take this opportunity to inform you also about the forthcoming ERTMS
forum, foreshadowing more permanent regular meetings on ERTMS, to be held in Prague
at the Clarion Congress Hotel Prague, Freyova street 33, CZ – 190 00, on 4th October 2022
(14h00-17h00). I would much appreciate if you could designate a person who would
represent your Member State in this event.
I am happy to provide you more information should you have any questions on the work
plan itself or my work as the Coordinator.
Yours faithfully,
Matthias RUETE
Enclosures:
Second work plan
3