New European Railway Agency starts its work

New European Railway Agency starts its work    The administrative board of the European Railway Agency, a new European Union body set up to coordinate safety and the integration of Europe’s railway networks, held its first meeting today in Valenciennes, France.
   The meeting brought together representatives of the 25 EU member states, the European Commission, rail operators, infrastructure managers, staff representatives, rail freight customers and passengers organizations.
   The European Commission said the European Railway Agency will be a “driving force” to modernize the railway sector in Europe.
   “The existence in the 25 member states of technical rules and national safety rules that are mutually incompatible is a major handicap to the sector’s development,” the Brussels-based executive said.
   It will be the agency’s task to narrow differences between technical rules and to set common safety objectives.
   The EU’s common transport policy aims to improve the balance between the various modes of transport, of which rail is regarded as among the more environmentally friendly and safer modes.
   The EC said about 100 experts would work for the European Railway Agency when it is operational. Its executive director will be appointed later this year.
   At the first meeting of the agency, Fran'ois Lamoureux, the EC's director-general for Energy and Transport, said the new body is “an essential component” of the EU’s policy to improve the railway sector.
   The European Council decided in December 2003 that the European Railway Agency would have its seat in Lille-Valenciennes in France. The agency’s offices will be located in Valenciennes, while its international meetings will be held in Lille.