Ukrainian railways to adopt EU standards: The Cabinet of Ministers approved the bill

The Cabinet of Ministers has supported a draft law that will allow the Ukrainian railroad to adapt to EU legislation and standards. This was reported by Ministry of Community and Territorial Development.

The draft law "On Safety and Interoperability of Railway Transport of Ukraine" provides for:

→ creation of a modern railway safety management system in line with EU requirements;
→ introduction of risk assessment and unified technical regulation rules;
→ new system of rolling stock maintenance and responsibility for its condition;
→ European standards for driver authorization, as well as training and professional development;
→ technical and operational compatibility of railway infrastructure with EU countries.

"We are moving from national standards to unified European rules, which opens the way for Ukraine to create a common rail transportation market, increases traffic safety and the trust of international partners," said Oleksiy Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development .

The adoption of the draft law is part of Ukraine's commitments under the Association Agreement with the EU and the indicators of the Ukraine Facility initiative, which paves the way for multibillion-dollar financing from the EU and the World Bank.

DG MOVE and DG NEAR have confirmed that the document meets European requirements in the areas of safety, technical compatibility and licensing of railway companies. Together with the following bylaws, it will allow full implementation of all EU legislation in these areas.

Once approved by the government, the draft law will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration. It is expected that its provisions will come into force three years after its publication. This transition period is necessary for the industry to adapt to the new standards.

• Ukrzaliznytsia expects to enter the EU passenger transportation market, in the future by becoming a low-cost carrier. To do this, the company plans to buy and repair used rolling stock. It is also planned to build a European gauge railway between Uzhhorod, Lviv, and Chernivtsi, as the gauge in Ukraine's neighboring EU countries is 1435 mm, while Ukraine uses a 1520 mm gauge..
• According to the EU strategy, it is possible to extend the European gauge to Ternopil, Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro in the future .