EU supports all Member States to switch to a common train control system

The EU’s TEN-T Programme supports the development and installation of the common European Train Control System (ETCS) in Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Slovenia and the UK with over 35 million Euros. The system will improve the interoperability, safety, reliability and capacity on European railways. The projects were selected for EU funding with the assistance of external experts under the TEN-T Multi-Annual Call 2013, priority ‘European rail traffic management system’.

In addition, the first CEF call was closed in early March 2015. From the total CEF budget, 300 million Euros were allocated for ERTMS projects (including 100 million Euros for Cohesion countries). As mentioned in the call, higher priorities were given to projects focusing on track-side and on-board deployment. However, specifications maintenance, trainings, simplification and facilitation of placing in operation as well as operational rule were also named as objectives in the call. The evaluation is on-going and the successful proposals will be announced in July 2015.