2025/1251

27.6.2025

COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1251

of 16 June 2025

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the 17th session of the Committee of Technical Experts of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) as regards the revision of the Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to the subsystem ‘rolling stock – locomotives and passenger rolling stock’, to the accessibility of the rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, to vehicle marking, to the subsystem ‘infrastructure’, and to the subsystem ‘Telematics applications for freight services’, and as regards the update of the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Union acceded to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (the ‘COTIF’), by means of Council Decision 2013/103/EU (1) and the Agreement between the European Union and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) on the Accession of the European Union to the COTIF Convention (2).

(2) Pursuant to Article 13(1)(f) of the COTIF, the Committee of Technical Experts (‘CTE’) of OTIF was set up.

(3) Pursuant to Article 20(1)(b) of the COTIF, and in accordance with Article 6(1) of the Uniform Rules concerning the Validation of Technical Standards and the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions applicable to Railway Material intended to be used in International Traffic (APTU) – Appendix F to COTIF, the CTE is competent to adopt or to amend, inter alia, the Uniform Technical Prescriptions (UTP) applicable to the subsystem ‘rolling stock – locomotives and passenger rolling stock’ (UTP LOC&PAS), to the accessibility of the rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (UTP PRM), to vehicle marking (UTP Marking), to the subsystem ‘infrastructure’ (UTP INF) and to the subsystem ‘telematics applications for freight services’ (UTP TAF).

(4) Pursuant to Article 20(1)(e) of the COTIF, and in accordance with Article 21(4) of the Uniform Rules concerning the Technical Admission of Railway Material used in International Traffic (ATMF – Appendix G to the Convention), the CTE is competent to adopt or to amend, inter alia, the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules.

(5) The CTE has included in the agenda of its 17th session, which will take place on 17 and 18 June 2025, a proposal for decisions to revise the UTP LOC&PAS, the UTP PRM, the UTP Marking, and the UTP INF, to modify Appendix I of UTP TAF, and to update the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules.

(6) The envisaged acts of the CTE will have legal effects.

(7) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the CTE, as the proposed decisions will be binding on the Union, pursuant to Article 6(1) APTU and Article 35(3) and (4) of the COTIF.

(8) The objectives of those decisions are to align the UTP LOC&PAS, UTP PRM, UTP Marking, and UTP INF to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1694 (3) (the ‘2023 TSI package’), to align the references to the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)’s Technical Documents of technical specifications for interoperability relating to the ‘telematics applications for freight’ (TAF TSI) listed in Appendix I of UTP TAF to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1305/2014 (4), and to update the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules taking into account the feedback on experience from COTIF Contracting States.

(9) The envisaged OTIF decisions to revise the UTP PRM, the UTP Marking, and the UTP INF are in line with the law and the strategic objectives of the Union by contributing to the alignment of OTIF legislation with the corresponding provisions of Union law, and should therefore be supported by the Union.

(10) The envisaged OTIF decisions to revise the UTP LOC&PAS and to modify Appendix I of UTP TAF are also generally in line with the law and the strategic objectives of the Union, and contribute to the alignment of OTIF legislation with the equivalent provisions of Union law. However, some of the changes proposed by OTIF should be aligned with the 2023 TSI Package. It is therefore necessary to propose amendments to the envisaged OTIF decisions to revise the UTP LOC&PAS and to modify Appendix I of UTP TAF, in order to ensure alignment with Union

acquis

as amended by the 2023 TSI Package. The Union should thus support the envisaged decisions subject to the condition that those amendments are introduced,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the 17th session of the Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), as regards the revision of the Uniform Technical Prescriptions (UTP) applicable to the subsystem ‘rolling stock – locomotives and passenger rolling stock’ (UTP LOC&PAS), to the accessibility of the rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (UTP PRM), to vehicle marking (UTP Marking), to the subsystem ‘infrastructure’ (UTP INF), as regards aligning the references to the Technical Documents of technical specifications for interoperability relating to the ‘telematics applications for freight’ (TAF TSI) listed in Appendix I of UTP relating to the ‘telematics applications for freight services’ (UTP TAF) and as regards the update of the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules shall be the following:

(1) to vote in favour of the CTE proposed revision of UTP LOC&PAS applicable to the subsystem ‘rolling stock – locomotives and passenger rolling stock’, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25003 UTP LOC&PAS, subject to the following amendments:

(a) in section 1 (Introduction) of the Annex, second paragraph, replace the word ‘infrastructure’ by ‘network(s)’;

(b) in point 2.1 (The rolling stock subsystem as part of the rail system) of the Annex, fourth paragraph, delete, ‘UTP WAG’;

(c) in point 2.2.1 (Train formation), paragraph (1), replace the term ‘OTIF technical admission’ by ‘UTP verification procedure’;

(d) delete points 3.2.1 (General requirements, requirements related to maintenance and operation) and 3.2.2 (Requirements specific to other subsystems);

(e) in point 4.2.3.4.2 (Running dynamic behaviour), replace the title of paragraph (d) (Interfaces between the unit and the control-command and signalling subsystem) by ‘Additional requirements regarding interface with on-board part of the control-command and signalling subsystem’;

(f) in paragraph (8) of point 4.2.3.4.2 (Running dynamic behaviour), in paragraphs (3) and (4) of point 4.2.4.3 (Type of brake system), in paragraph (3) of point 4.2.4.4.1 (Emergency braking command), in paragraph (5) of point 4.2.4.4.2 (Service braking command), in paragraph (4) of point 4.2.4.4.4 (Dynamic braking command), in paragraph (6) of point 4.2.4.8.2 (Magnetic track brake), in paragraph (9) of point 4.2.4.8.3 (Eddy current track brake), in paragraph (2) of point 4.2.5.5.6 (Door opening), in paragraph (8) of point 4.2.8.1.2 (Requirements on performance), in paragraph (4) of point 4.2.8.2.4 (Maximum power and current from the overhead contact line), in paragraph (5), second subparagraph, of point 4.2.8.2.9.8 (Running through phase or system separation sections (RST level)), in paragraphs (5) and (6) of point 4.2.9.1.6 (Driver’s desk-Ergonomics), in paragraph (4) of point 4.2.9.3.6 (Radio Remote control function by staff for shunting operation), in points 4.2.9.3.8.1 (Sleeping mode), 4.2.9.3.8.2 (Passive shunting), 4.2.9.3.8.3 (Non leading), 4.2.9.3.9 (Traction status), in paragraph (5) of point 4.2.10.4.2 (Smoke Control), in point 4.2.13 (Interface requirements with Automated Train Operation on-board):

— replace ‘signalling system’ by ‘control-command and signalling subsystem’;

— delete ‘See point 4.3.4’;

(g) in point 4.2.4.6.1 (Limit of wheel rail adhesion profile), delete the wording ‘Note to points (1) – (4):’;

(h) in point 4.2.4.7 (Dynamic brake – Braking system linked to traction system), replace the third paragraph by ‘For electric units, in case the presence on-board the unit of the voltage delivered by the external power supply is a condition for the dynamic brake application, the safety analysis shall cover failures leading to absence on-board the unit of that voltage.’;

(i) in point 4.2.7.1.4 (Lamp controls), paragraph (3), replace ‘a flashing/blinking mode’ by ‘an automatic flashing/blinking mode’;

(j) in paragraph (1) of point 4.2.9.6 (Recording device), replace the fourth subparagraph by ‘Additional data pertaining to the on-board control-command and signalling subsystem may be required to be recorded’;

(k) in point 4.2.12.2 (General documentation), paragraph (24):

— in the first indent, replace ‘signalling equipment’ by ‘control-command and signalling subsystem’;

— replace the second indent by ‘conditions for the installation of on-board part of the control-command and signalling subsystem (e.g. mechanical, electrical, etc.).’;

(l) in point 6.2.6 (Assessment of documentation requested for operation and maintenance), paragraph (1), delete ‘and assessing entity’;

(m) in point 7.3.2 (List of specific cases), delete all specific cases for the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland;

(2) to vote in favour of the CTE proposed amendments to UTP PRM applicable to the accessibility of the rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25004 UTP PRM;

(3) to vote in favour of the CTE proposed amendments to UTP Marking applicable to vehicle marking, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25005 UTP Marking;

(4) to vote in favour of the CTE proposed amendments to UTP INF applicable to the subsystem ‘infrastructure’, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25006 UTP INF;

(5) to vote in favour of the CTE proposal to align the references to the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)’s Technical Documents relating to the ‘telematics applications for freight’ (TAF TSI) listed in Appendix I of UTP TAF to Regulation (EU) No 1305/2014, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25007 UTP TAF, subject to the following amendment:

— in the table in Appendix I, replace the line number 6 as follows:

(6) to vote in favour of the CTE proposal to Update of the Handbook for the implementation and application of the APTU and ATMF Uniform Rules, as found in the CTE Working Document TECH-25011 Handbook, subject to the following amendments:

— Point 5.3.3 – SPECIFIC CASES

— in the first indent, replace ‘A specific case is primarily used’ by ‘A specific case should be used’;

— in the first indent, add ‘due to technical constraints affecting compatibility with the existing system.’ to ‘deviation from a requirement in the UTP.’;

— in the first indent, replace ‘and national technical requirements are mainly used to define requirements in addition to the UTP’ by ‘A national technical requirement should be used to define a requirement other than those laid down in the UTPs.’;

— in the fifth indent, replace ‘the specific case may refer to a national technical requirement for this purpose’ by ‘the specific case in the UTP may refer instead to a specific national technical requirement defining corresponding assessment method’;

— Point 5.4 – NATIONAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

— in the fourth paragraph, replace ‘In some cases, the NTR can be transferred into the UTP, in full or in part, in the form of a specific case’ by ‘In case a national technical requirement falls, in full or in part, within the scope of a requirement laid down in the UTP, it should be transferred into the UTP in the form of a specific case’;

— Point 10.3 – CORRELATION WITH UNION LAW

— in the second paragraph, replace ‘whether an ECM’ by ‘whether their ECM’;

— in the fourth paragraph, first indent, replace ‘should be accepted’ by ‘should be accepted in international traffic’;

— in the fourth paragraph, second indent, replace ‘For the purpose of providing ECM services,’ by ‘For the purpose of providing ECM services on the territory of a Contracting State’, and replace ‘Contracting States’ by ‘that Contracting State’;

(7) minor changes may be agreed to the acts of the CTE set out in this Article by the Commission, without a further decision of the Council.

Article 2

Once adopted, the decisions of the CTE shall be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

, indicating the date of their entry into force.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 16 June 2025.

For the Council

The President

P. HENNIG-KLOSKA

(1) Council Decision 2013/103/EU of 16 June 2011 on the signing and conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail on the Accession of the European Union to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (

OJ L 51, 23.2.2013, p. 1

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/103(1)/oj

).

(2) Agreement between the European Union and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail on the Accession of the European Union to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (

OJ L 51, 23.2.2013, p. 8

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2013/103/oj

).

(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1694 of 10 August 2023 amending Regulations (EU) No 321/2013, (EU) No 1299/2014, (EU) No 1300/2014, (EU) No 1301/2014, (EU) No 1302/2014, (EU) No 1304/2014 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/777 (

OJ L 222, 8.9.2023, p. 88

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/1694/oj

).

(4) Commission Regulation (EU) No 1305/2014 of 11 December 2014 on the technical specification for interoperability relating to the telematics applications for freight subsystem of the rail system in the European Union and repealing the Regulation (EC) No 62/2006 (

OJ L 356, 12.12.2014, p. 438

, ELI:

http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/1305/oj

).

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1251/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)