Today, the Regulation on the use of railway infrastructure capacity in the single European railway area (Capacity Regulation) enters into force following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This marks the completion of a legislative process that began almost three years ago with the publication of the European Commission’s proposal in July 2023.

The Capacity Regulation introduces new European frameworks for the planning, coordination, allocation and management of railway capacity across the rail network. The Regulation aims to support a more coordinated and efficient use of rail infrastructure capacity, strengthen cross border rail traffic through new European and interoperable digital tools and establish new European governance structures and processes for capacity management.

EIM welcomes the Regulation and the important step towards completing the Single European Railway Area (SERA) that it represents. Since the publication of the Commission proposal, EIM and its members have been closely engaged on the file. Shortly after the proposal was presented, EIM established its internal Task Force on Capacity Management, bringing together legal, policy and operational experts from EIM’s member infrastructure managers to coordinate EIM’s work throughout the negotiations. Over the course of the legislative process, the Task Force met over 50 times

Thanks to the work carried out within the Task Force, EIM’s members have already started preparing for the implementation of the new legislative framework ahead of its entry into force. The group has enabled infrastructure managers to identify operational challenges early, exchange best practices and reflect on how to best implement the Regulation.

The publication today in the Official Journal marks the official start of the implementation process of this Regulation. Now that the exact implementation timelines and deadlines established under the new framework are confirmed, EIM’s members will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation. In particular, preparations for the establishment of the European Network of Infrastructure Managers (ENIM) has already begun.

In this context, EIM’s Task Force on Capacity Management will continue its work as a platform for coordination and implementation support among EIM’s members. The group brings together experts who have followed the file closely throughout the legislative process and who will continue supporting infrastructure managers as implementation activities progress in the coming years.

The Chairman of the Task Force, Sven Marius Utklev Gjeruldsen-Halle from Bane NOR, said: “The publication of the Capacity Regulation marks an important milestone for the European rail sector. The length of the legislative process has demonstrated both the complexity and importance of building a more coordinated European approach to capacity management. The work now shifts towards implementation, where continued cooperation across the sector will be essential.”

The Executive Director of EIM, Monika Heiming, said: “The Capacity Regulation represents one of the most significant reforms of European rail operations and coordination. I am very pleased with the coordination carried out by EIM’s members throughout the legislative process and look forward to continuing this cooperation during the implementation phase.”

Read the Position Paper here :