The Standards and Regulation Group (SRG) steers UNIFE’s technical activities pertaining to the European regulatory framework (i.e. Railway Directives, TSIs, etc.) and standardisation, in Europe and abroad. The SRG is composed of technical directors from the UNIFE’s main system integrators and subsystem suppliers.
The UNIFE SRG and the supporting UNIFE Technical Working Groups are platforms through which UNIFE members can influence technical regulations related to the interoperability and safety of the European railway system. The SRG plays a pivotal role in coordinating UNIFE’s technical stances for all activities relating to the revisions of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs) and the implementation of the European Union’s Fourth Railway Package Technical Pillar.
Internally, the SRG also interfaces with the following UNIFE Committees:
- UNIRAILINFRA (Civil works and infrastructure interfaces), particularly in relation to Energy and Infrastructure subsystems
- UNISIG (Control-command interfaces with Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Sub-systems), primarily onboard and track-side CCS subsystems
- UNIFE Sustainable Transport Committee (STC)
- ERWA (UNIFE Railway Wheels and Wheelsets Committee)
- UNIFE Technical Platform
Externally, the SRG interfaces with the following organisations/bodies:
- The European Commission (EC) – primarily, DG MOVE Unit C.4 ‘Rail Safety & Interoperability’ and EC’s Railway Interoperability and Safety Committee (RISC)
- The European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)
- The European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs), namely CEN, CENELEC and ETSI via the Sector Forum Rail (SFR)
- Other Rail Sector Associations including AERRL, ALE, ALLRAIL, CER, EAL, EIM, ERFA, FEDECRAIL, NB-RAIL, UIC, UIP, UIRR and UITP via the Group of Representative Bodies (GRB) and ERA Network of Representative Bodies
The Group of Representative Bodies (GRB)
UNIFE is a member of the Group of Representative Bodies (GRB), a group of European rail associations tasked with supporting, in a transverse way, the rail sector’s input to the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) work programme and its effect on safety and interoperability. Furthermore, it plays a role in developing research, innovation and standardisation activities and, therefore, has links with European standardisation and research bodies and their processes. GRB is composed of associations, or “Representative Bodies” – AERRL, ALE, ALLRAIL, CER, EAL, EIM, ERFA, FEDECRAIL, NB-RAIL, UIC, UIP, UIRR and UITP – and supported by UIC. These organisations represent the companies making up the railway operating community, the supply industry and manufacturing sector. Together, these companies are responsible for the design, certification, construction, leasing, operation and maintenance of the railway system.
The SRG coordinates the UNIFE input to the GRB. Common positions reached and activities carried out by the GRB can be found here.
