Brexit: Railway safety and connectivity with the UK

The EU is ensuring continuity of train services between the EU (France and Ireland) and the United Kingdom in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. The Council today adopted a regulation on a temporary extension of the validity of certain authorisations, certificates and licences that are needed to run the services. The aim of this extension is to allow the parties concerned to conclude the necessary agreements and take any other measures to avoid disruption, taking into account the status of the UK as a non-EU country.

These measures are conditional on identical standards, requirements and procedures being applied to cross-border rail connectivity by the UK.

The regulation will be applicable the day after the EU treaties cease to apply to the UK unless a withdrawal agreement concluded with the UK has entered into force by that date. It will cease to apply nine months later.

Given the urgency of the matter, the Council adopted the regulation by means of a written procedure. The European Parliament voted on 13 March.

This is the last Brexit contingency regulation to be adopted in the field of transport. Five other Brexit-related regulations in the area of transport were adopted by the Council (General Affairs) on 19 March. All these legal acts will be signed by representatives of the Council and the Parliament on 25 March and subsequently published in the EU Official Journal.

More information

Access the complete news

Regulation on certain aspects of railway safety and connectivity with regard to the withdrawal of the UK from the Union – full text (PE-CONS 72/19)

Brexit (background information)