Rail Transport: New harmonised EU standards to support cross-border rail

The European Commission today published a package of revised technical standards to improve rail interoperability across borders – the so-called ‘Technical Specifications for Interoperability’ (TSIs).

The 2023 TSI package is a key milestone along the path to making smooth cross-border train trips across the EU a reality, but also clears the way for new innovative technologies. TSIs applied across the EU make the EU rail sector more efficient because they eliminate 25 different sets of national rules. Reducing complexity and parallel rules helps to improve affordability and lower the basic cost of rail operations. Ultimately, the sector will respond better to the needs of long distance, cross-border services, and be able to a wider, more innovative range of rail services to citizens and transport clients.

Modern, harmonised standards across borders

Too often, national rules still force trains to stop at borders, when driving from one EU country to another. The cost of stopping trains at internal EU borders, and having to change crews and locomotives that are not certified for the next network’s national requirements, has slowed down the development of truly European services.

The revised TSIs published today modernise and harmonise current technical standards for rail, eliminating the need for national rules that complicate cross-border rail operations.

The revised standards also align with TEN-T requirements and introduce a common framework for technical and operating conditions for ERTMS, the European Rail Traffic Management System, and combined transport, granting more flexibility for operators in intermodal transport, for example.

Reflecting technological progress

The revised requirements also reflect recent technological developments, introducing rail innovation in a consistent manner. They pave the way for automatic train operations over ERTMS and digitalise technical and operating information for train drivers and rail staff, such as common infrastructure route and rule books for example, ensuring access to rail network knowledge.

Next steps

The revised TSIs will enter into force 20 days after publication, i.e. on 28 September 2023.

More information

TSI Package