The Ukrainian parliament has adopted Law No. 14174 on the safety and interoperability of the Ukrainian rail transport system.
The Center for Transport Strategies (CFTS) reported this information, citing the publication Railinsider.
The law amends the operating rules of the Ukrainian railway system to align them with European Union standards.
The goal of the reform is to integrate Ukraine fully into the Single European Railway Area.
The law establishes a three-year transition period for implementing the new rules.
It implements the requirements of the following key EU directives: Directive (EU) 2016/797 on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union, Directive (EU) 2016/798 on railway safety (EU) 2016/798 on railway safety, and Directive 2007/59/EC on the certification of train drivers.
The law establishes rules for certifying railway operators and authorizing rolling stock and infrastructure subsystems, ensuring technical compatibility, and training and certifying train drivers. The law also establishes state safety oversight. Adoption of the law is a fundamental prerequisite for establishing a National Safety Authority (NSA), introducing a new market access framework for industry participants, and subsequently opening the rail transport market.
The adoption of the law establishes the technical and institutional prerequisites for a non-discriminatory system for admitting new carriers to the market once it opens.
Under this system, safety, certification, and regulatory functions will be transferred from the Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia), preventing technical requirements or admission procedures from being used as barriers to entry for new market participants in the future. This ensures a level playing field and paves the way for the market to open further, as well as for Ukraine and EU member states to recognize each other's procedures.
