Brussels, 04/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Germany is back on the track on implementing the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), after having allowed substantial doubt to develop over its commitments. This is good news for standardising national systems and creating a single European railway area.
Germany has actually backtracked on the idea of introducing the “Specific Transmission Module” as an alternative to the ERTMS. If the country had gone ahead with this system, European efforts to put an end to the patchwork of national rail traffic systems would have been in vain. Many member states, as well Switzerland, have already made massive investment to deploy ERTMS on their railway networks.
Almost a year ago, European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas made a personal appeal to the German government to stick by its commitments and reject any alternative option (see EUROPE 10596). A few weeks ago, the German authorities informed the Commission of their decision to continue with installing the ERTMS on their networks. There have been no further formal announcements or news regarding any detailed plans for implementing the rail corridors (which should have been completed in December 2012) by 2015. Nonetheless, this decision by Germany is seen as a victory for incorporating the ERTMS throughout the Union.
The spokesman for the Greens at the European Parliament, Michael Cramer (Germany), welcomed the news and explained that, “if Germany was to ignore its legal obligations, the entire process towards interoperability at EU level would be have been compromised”. Consequently, he believes that the change in direction announced sends a clear signal to the rest of the Union that the biggest member state in the heart of the EU, Germany, is finally assuming its specific responsibilities for creating a single railway area. Cramer is aware, however, that “national versions” of ERTMS can coexist. The MEP emphasised that only a European Railway Agency would really be capable of controlling genuine European standards. A chapter of the fourth railway package presented last January focuses on this issue. Robert Zile MEP (ECR, Latvia) has been appointed the rapporteur on this issue. (MD/transl.fl)