29/09/2021 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission decided on Wednesday 29 September to open a consultation on the phasing out of national rules requiring signals other than reflective plates to indicate the tail of a freight train. With this initiative, the Commission intends to harmonise the rules in force in the EU by January 2026. So far, several specific cases exist within the EU. Belgium, France, Portugal and Spain, for example, require freight trains to have two fixed red lights, without which trains cannot run on their networks. These countries will be required to accept freight trains equipped with reflective plates by 1 January 2022 at the latest. The Commission also provides for Member States to be required to report regularly on the implementation of these measures. See the consultation: https://bit.ly/3AP0LCe (TM)