Brussels, 19/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 19 May, the European Commission sent reasoned opinions to nine member states - Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom - formally requesting them to fully implement the railway safety directive. The Commission says these countries have so far failed to bring their national legislation into line with the directive although they were required to do so by 24 December 2010. The directive, 2008/110/EC, provides a legal basis for a common framework for the maintenance of rolling stock. It requires member states to designate a body responsible for the maintenance of rolling stock (known as the “entity in charge of maintenance” or ECM), authorisation from which must be given before a rail vehicle is allowed to be put into service. For freight wagons, the ECM must be certified according to a system developed by the European Railway Agency and adopted by the Commission on 10 May 2011. Through this system, safety certificates can be recognised throughout Europe. The failure on the part of the nine member states, therefore, has a knock-on effect through the whole rail system, slowing interoperability and lowering the level of safety of rolling stock in Europe, the Commission says in a press release published on Thursday. The member states concerned have two months to comply, otherwise the Commission may refer the cases to the Court of Justice. (A.By./transl.rt)