EU Action Plan on rail security: achievements and outlook

Following a number of terrorist plots targeting rail, the European Commission adopted in June 2018 an Action Plan listing seven actions aiming at enhancing passenger rail security in Europe. The overall objective was to foster a risk-based approach to rail security, allowing for a prompt and proportionate response to emerging threats, while keeping rail services open and accessible.

To support the implementation of this Action Plan, the Commission also established a new Expert group – the EU Rail Security Platform – composed of the EU and EFTA states authorities competent for rail security and of interested stakeholders. Over the past two years and a half, the Platform held nine meetings and produced a number of deliverables in line with the 2018 Action Plan. This includes for instance a methodology for rail security risk-assessments and two good practices documents regarding the mitigation of insider threats on the one hand, and detection technologies adapted to railways on the other.

In February 2021, the Platform finalised the adoption of two sets of guidelines aiming to facilitate the adoption of rail security programmes and plans at national and company level. These documents are not public but access can be granted on a need-to-know basis (request: MOVE-EU-RAILSEC@ec.europa.eu).

Through these various steps, the implementation of the 2018 Action Plan is now almost complete. Moreover, the current mandate of the Platform – which had been established for an initial duration of three years – is ending in 2021. The Commission has therefore recently launched a reflection with members of the Platform on rail security at EU level beyond 2021.