Commission Opinion of 27 July 2018 in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014 on the innovative solution proposed by SNCF Réseau for the design of the overhead contact line in order to allow operational speeds up to 360 km/h
Date: 2018-07-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: EC conformity marking, European standard, harmonisation of standards, high-speed transport, innovation, rail network, safety standard, technical specification, trans-European network








C_2018269EN.01000101.xml










31.7.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 269/1






COMMISSION OPINION
of 27 July 2018
in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014 on the innovative solution proposed by SNCF Réseau for the design of the overhead contact line in order to allow operational speeds up to 360 km/h
(Only the French text is authentic)
(2018/C 269/01)
The analysis below is carried out under the provisions of Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system (1) and Commission Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014 of 18 November 2014 on the technical specifications for interoperability relating to the ‘energy’ subsystem of the rail system in the Union (2).
On 2 February 2018, the Commission received from SNCF Réseau, in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014, a request for a Commission opinion regarding an innovative solution for the design of the overhead contact line in order to allow operational speeds up to 360 km/h.
The proposal of SNCF Réseau is to extend from 320 km/h to 360 km/h the use of the curve of the mean contact force referred to in point 4.2.11 of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014.
Following a Commission request to assess the technical solution proposed by SNCF Réseau, on 16 April 2018 the European Union Railway Agency (‘the Agency’) issued an opinion on the compliance of the innovative solution proposed by SNCF Réseau for the design of the overhead contact line in order to allow operational speeds up to 360 km/h with the essential requirements of Directive (EU) 2016/797.
In its opinion, the Agency deems that the results of simulations and test measurements provided by the SNCF Réseau are sufficient and confirm that the requirement in point 4.2.11 of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2014 could be extended for speed up to 360 km/h for AC traction supply systems.
On the basis of the opinion of the Agency and following an exchange of views with the Committee established in accordance with Article 51(1) of Directive (EU) 2016/797, the Commission takes the view that the technical solution proposed by SNCF Réseau for the design of the overhead contact line enables operation of trains at speeds up to 360 km/h in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/797.
In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the abovementioned innovative solution constitutes an acceptable means of compliance with the essential requirements of Directive (EU) 2016/797 and may therefore be used for the assessment of projects.

Done at Brussels, 27 July 2018.


For the Commission

Violeta BULC

Member of the Commission





(1)  OJ L 138, 26.5.2016, p. 44.

(2)  OJ L 356, 12.12.2014, p. 179.