Article 1 
1. This Directive sets out to establish the conditions to be met to achieve interoperability within the Community territory of the trans-European conventional rail system, as described in Annex I. These conditions concern the design, construction, placing in service, upgrading, renewal, operation and maintenance of the parts of this system placed in service after the date of entry into force of this Directive, as well as the professional qualifications and health and safety conditions of the staff who contribute to its operation and maintenance. 2. The pursuit of this objective must lead to the definition of an optimal level of technical harmonisation and make it possible to: (a) facilitate, improve and develop international rail transport services within the European Union and with third countries; (b) contribute to the progressive creation of the internal market in equipment and services for the construction, renewal, upgrading and operation of the trans-European conventional rail system; (c) contribute to the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system. 3. The scope of this Directive shall be progressively extended to the whole conventional rail system, including track access to terminals and main port facilities serving or potentially serving more than one user, except for infrastructure and rolling stock reserved for a strictly local, historical or touristic use or infrastructure which is functionally isolated from the rest of the rail system, and without prejudice to the derogations to the application of TSIs as listed in Article 7. This Directive shall be applied to the parts of the network which are not yet covered by paragraph 1 only from the date of entry into force of the corresponding TSIs to be adopted in accordance with the procedure described below and for the fields of application set by them. The Commission shall adopt, following the procedure set out in Article 21(2), by 1 January 2006 a work programme aiming at the development of new TSIs and/or the review of TSIs already adopted with a view to covering the lines and rolling stock not yet covered. This work programme will indicate a first group of new TSIs and/or amendments to TSIs to be developed by January 2009, without prejudice to Article 5(5) as regards the possibility of providing for specific cases and without prejudice to Article 7 allowing for derogations in particular circumstances. The choice of the subjects to be covered by the TSIs will be based on the expected cost-effectiveness of each proposed measure and on the principle of proportionality of measures taken at Community level. To this end, appropriate consideration will be given to Annex I point 4 and the necessary balance between, on one hand, the objectives of uninterrupted movement of trains and of technical harmonisation, and, on the other hand, the trans-European, national, regional or local level of traffic considered. After the development of this first group of TSIs, the identification of the priorities for the development of new TSIs or the revision of existing TSIs will be adopted following the procedure set out in Article 21(2). A Member State need not apply this paragraph in the case of projects at an advanced stage of development or subject to a contract in the course of performance when the relevant group of TSIs are published.
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Directive: (a) ‘trans-European conventional rail system’means the structure, as described in Annex I, composed of lines and fixed installations, of the trans-European transport network, built or upgraded for conventional rail transport and combined rail transport, plus the rolling stock designed to travel on that infrastructure; (b) ‘interoperability’means the ability of the trans-European conventional rail system to allow the safe and uninterrupted movement of trains which accomplish the required levels of performance for these lines. This ability rests on all the regulatory, technical and operational conditions which must be met in order to satisfy the essential requirements; (c) ‘subsystems’means the result of the division of the trans-European conventional rail system, as shown in Annex II. These subsystems, for which essential requirements must be laid down, are structural and functional; (d) ‘interoperability constituents’means any elementary component, group of components, subassembly or complete assembly of equipment incorporated or intended to be incorporated into a subsystem upon which the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system depends directly or indirectly. The concept of a ‘constituent’ covers both tangible objects and intangible objects such as software; (e) ‘essential requirements’means all the conditions set out in Annex III which must be met by the trans-European conventional rail system, the subsystems, and the interoperability constituents including interfaces; (f) ‘European specification’means a common technical specification, a European technical approval or a national standard transposing a European standard, as defined in points 8 to 12 of Article 1 of Directive 93/38/EEC; (g) ‘technical specifications for interoperability’, hereinafter referred to as ‘TSIs’,means the specifications by which each subsystem or part subsystem is covered in order to meet the essential requirements and ensure the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system; (i) ‘notified bodies’means the bodies which are responsible for assessing the conformity or suitability for use of the interoperability constituents or for appraising the ‘EC’ procedure for verification of the subsystems; (j) ‘basic parameters’means any regulatory, technical or operational condition which is critical to interoperability and requires a decision in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 21(2) before any development of draft TSIs by the joint representative body; (k) ‘specific case’means any part of the trans-European conventional rail system which needs special provisions in the TSIs, either temporary or definitive, because of geographical, topographical or urban environment constraints or those affecting compatibility with the existing system. This may include in particular railway lines and networks isolated from the rest of the Community, the loading gauge, the track gauge or space between the tracks and rolling stock strictly intended for local, regional or historical use, as well as rolling stock originating from or destined for third countries, as long as this stock does not cross the border between two Member States; (l) ‘upgrading’means any major modification work on a subsystem or part subsystem which improves the overall performance of the subsystem; (m) ‘renewal’means any major substitution work on a subsystem or part subsystem which does not change the overall performance of the subsystem; (n) ‘existing rail system’means the structure composed of lines and fixed installations of the existing rail system plus the rolling stock of all categories and origin travelling on that infrastructure; (o) ‘substitution in the framework of maintenance’ means any replacement of components by parts of identical function and performance in the framework of preventive or corrective maintenance; (p) ‘placing in service’means all the operations by which a subsystem is put into its design operating state.
Article 3 
1. This Directive applies to the provisions concerning, for each subsystem, the interoperability constituents, the interfaces and procedures as well as the conditions of overall compatibility of the trans-European conventional rail system required to achieve its interoperability. 2. The provisions of this Directive shall apply without prejudice to any other relevant Community provisions. However, in the case of interoperability constituents, including interfaces, compliance with the essential requirements of this Directive may require the use of individual European specifications drawn up for that purpose.
Article 4 
1. The trans-European conventional rail system, subsystems and interoperability constituents including interfaces shall meet the relevant essential requirements. 2. The further technical specifications referred to in Article 18(4) of Directive 93/38/EEC which are necessary to complete European specifications or other standards in use within the Community must not conflict with the essential requirements.
Article 5 
1. Each of the subsystems shall be covered by one TSI. Where necessary, a subsystem may be covered by several TSIs and one TSI may cover several subsystems. The decision to develop and/or to review a TSI and the choice of its technical and geographical scope requires a mandate in accordance with Article 6(1). 2. Subsystems shall comply with the TSIs; this compliance shall be permanently maintained while each subsystem is in use. 3. To the extent necessary in order to achieve the objectives referred to in Article 1, each TSI shall: (a) indicate its intended scope (part of network or rolling stock referred to in Annex I: subsystem or part of subsystem referred to in Annex II); (b) lay down essential requirements for each subsystem concerned and its interfaces vis-à-vis other subsystems; (c) establish the functional and technical specifications to be met by the subsystem and its interfaces vis-à-vis other subsystems. If need be, these specifications may vary according to the use of the subsystem, for example according to the categories of line, hub and/or rolling stock provided for in Annex I; (d) determine the interoperability constituents and interfaces which must be covered by European specifications, including European standards, which are necessary to achieve interoperability within the trans-European conventional rail system; (e) state, in each case under consideration, which procedures are to be used in order to assess the conformity or the suitability for use of the interoperability constituents, on the one hand, or the ‘EC’ verification of the subsystems, on the other hand. These procedures shall be based on the modules defined in Decision 93/465/EEC; (f) indicate the strategy for implementing the TSIs. In particular, it is necessary to specify the stages to be completed in order to make a gradual transition from the existing situation to the final situation in which compliance with the TSIs shall be the norm; (g) indicate, for the staff concerned, the professional qualifications and health and safety conditions at work required for the operation and maintenance of the above subsystem, as well as for the implementation of the TSIs. 4. Each TSI shall be drawn up on the basis of an examination of an existing subsystem and indicate a target subsystem that may be obtained gradually within a reasonable time-scale. Accordingly, the gradual adoption of the TSIs and compliance therewith will help gradually to achieve the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system. 5. The TSIs shall retain, in an appropriate manner, the compatibility of the existing rail system of each Member State. With this objective, provision may be made for specific cases for each set of TSIs, with regard to both infrastructure and rolling stock; special attention must be given to the loading gauge, the track gauge or space between the tracks and wagons from or going to third countries. For each specific case, the TSIs stipulate the implementing rules of the elements of the TSIs indicated in paragraphs 3(c) to (g). 6. The TSIs shall not be an impediment to decisions by the Member States concerning the use of infrastructures for the movement of rolling stock not covered by the TSIs. 7. TSIs may make an explicit, clearly identified reference to European standards or specifications where this is strictly necessary in order to achieve the objectives of this Directive. In such case, these European standards or specifications (or the relevant parts) shall be regarded as annexes to the TSI concerned and shall become mandatory from the moment the TSI is applicable. In the absence of European standards or specifications and pending their development, reference may be made to other clearly identified normative documents; in such case, this shall concern documents that are easily accessible and in the public domain.
Article 6 
1. Draft TSIs and subsequent amendments to TSIs shall be drafted under a mandate from the Commission in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2). They shall be drafted under the responsibility of the Agency, in accordance with Articles 3 and 12 of Regulation(EC) No 881/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 establishing a European railway agency (Agency Regulation) ( 10 ) and in cooperation with the working parties mentioned in those Articles. TSIs shall be adopted and reviewed in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2). They shall be published by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Union . 2. The Agency shall be responsible for preparing the review and updating of TSIs and making any recommendations to the Committee referred to in Article 21 in order to take account of developments in technology or social requirements. 3. Each draft TSI shall be drawn up in two stages. First of all, the Agency shall identify the basic parameters for the TSI as well as the interfaces with the other subsystems and any other specific cases that may be necessary. The most viable alternative solutions accompanied by technical and economic justification shall be put forward for each of these parameters and interfaces. A decision shall be taken in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2); if necessary, specific cases shall be cited. The Agency shall then draw up the draft TSI on the basis of these basic parameters. Where appropriate, the Agency shall take account of technical progress, of standardisation work already carried out, of working parties already in place and of acknowledged research work. An overall assessment of the estimated costs and benefits of the implementation of the TSIs shall be attached to the draft TSI; this assessment shall indicate the likely impact for all the operators and economic agents involved. 4. The drafting, adoption and review of each TSI (including the basic parameters) shall take account of the estimated costs and benefits of all the technical solutions considered, together with the interfaces between them, so as to establish and implement the most viable solutions. The Member States shall participate in this assessment by providing the requisite data. 5. The Committee referred to in Article 21 shall be kept regularly informed of the preparatory work on the TSIs. During this work the Committee may formulate any terms of reference or useful recommendations concerning the design of the TSIs and the cost-benefit analysis. In particular, the Committee may, at the request of a Member State, require that alternative solutions be examined and that the assessment of the cost and benefits of these alternative solutions be set out in the report annexed to the draft TSI. 6. On the adoption of each TSI, the date of entry into force of that TSI shall be established in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2). Where different subsystems have to be placed in service simultaneously for reasons of technical compatibility, the dates of entry into force of the corresponding TSIs shall be the same. 7. The drafting, adoption and review of the TSIs shall take account of the opinions of the users, as regards the characteristics which have a direct impact on the conditions in which they use the subsystems. To that end the Agency shall consult associations and bodies representing users during the drafting and review phases of the TSIs. They shall enclose with the draft TSI a report on the results of this consultation. The list of associations and bodies to be consulted shall be finalised by the Committee referred to in Article 21 before it adopts the mandate of the first TSI and may be re-examined and updated at the request of a Member State or the Commission. 8. The drafting, adoption and review of the TSIs shall take account of the opinion of the social partners as regards the conditions referred to in Article 5(3)(g). To this end, the social partners shall be consulted before the draft TSI is submitted, for adoption or review, to the Committee referred to in Article 21. The social partners shall be consulted in the context of the Sectoral Dialogue Committee set up in accordance with Commission Decision 98/500/EC ( 11 ). The social partners shall issue their opinion within three months.
Article 7 
A Member State need not apply one or more TSIs, including those relating to rolling stock, in the following cases and circumstances: (a) for a proposed new line, for the renewal or upgrading of an existing line, or for any element referred to Article 1(1) at an advanced stage of development or the subject of a contract in course of performance when these TSIs are published; (b) for any project concerning the renewal or upgrading of an existing line where the loading gauge, track gauge, space between the tracks, or electrification voltage in these TSIs is not compatible with those of the existing line; (c) for a proposed new line or for the proposed renewal or upgrading of an existing line in the territory of that Member State when its rail network is separated or isolated by the sea from the rail network of the rest of the Community; (d) for any proposed renewal, extension or upgrading of an existing line, when the application of these TSIs would compromise the economic viability of the project and/or the compatibility of the rail system in the Member State; (e) where, following an accident or a natural disaster, the conditions for the rapid restoration of the network do not economically or technically allow for partial or total application of the relevant TSIs; (f) for wagons from or going to third countries the track gauge of which is different from that of the main rail network of the Community. In all cases the Member State concerned shall serve prior notice of its intended derogation to the Commission and shall forward to it a file setting out the TSIs or the parts of TSIs that it does not wish to be applied as well as the corresponding specifications that it does wish to apply. The Committee provided for in Article 21 shall analyse the measures envisaged by the Member State. In cases (b), (d) and (f), the Commission shall take a decision in accordance with the procedure in Article 21(2). Where necessary, a recommendation shall be drawn up concerning the specifications to be applied. Nevertheless, in the case of (b) the Commission's decision shall not cover the loading gauge and the track gauge.
Article 8 
Member States shall take all necessary steps to ensure that interoperability constituents: (a) are placed on the market only if they enable interoperability to be achieved within the trans-European conventional rail system while at the same time meeting the essential requirements; (b) are used in their area of use as intended and are suitably installed and maintained. These provisions shall not obstruct the placing on the market of these constituents for other applications.
Article 9 
Member States may not, in their territory and on grounds concerning this Directive, prohibit, restrict or hinder the placing on the market of interoperability constituents for use in the trans-European conventional rail system where they comply with this Directive. In particular, they may not require checks which have already been carried out as part of the procedure of ‘EC’ declaration of conformity or suitability for use, the components of which are set out in Annex IV.
Article 10 
1. Member States shall consider as complying with the essential requirements of this Directive applying to them those interoperability constituents which bear the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity or suitability for use. 2. All interoperability constituents shall be subject to the procedure for assessing conformity and suitability for the use indicated in the respective TSI and shall be accompanied by the corresponding certificate. 3. Member States shall consider that an interoperability constituent meets the essential requirements if it complies with the conditions laid down by the corresponding TSI or the corresponding European specifications developed to comply with these conditions. 6. Where a European specification is not yet available at the time of adoption of a TSI and compliance with this specification is an essential precondition to guarantee interoperability, the TSI may refer to the most advanced version available of the draft European specification that has to be complied with or that incorporates all or part of that draft.
Article 11 
Where it appears to a Member State or the Commission that European specifications used directly or indirectly to achieve the objectives of this Directive do not meet the essential requirements, partial or total withdrawal of the specifications concerned from the publications containing them, or their amendment, may be decided upon in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2) after consultation of the committee set up under Directive 98/34/EC.
Article 12 
1. Where a Member State finds that an interoperability constituent covered by the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity or suitability for use and placed on the market is unlikely, when used as intended, to meet the essential requirements, it shall take all necessary steps to restrict its field of application, prohibit its use or withdraw it from the market. The Member States shall forthwith inform the Commission of the measures taken and give the reasons for its decision, stating in particular whether failure to conform is due to: (a) failure to meet the essential requirements; (b) incorrect application of European specifications where application of such specifications is relied upon; (c) inadequacy of European specifications. 2. The Commission shall consult the parties concerned as quickly as possible. Where, following that consultation, the Commission establishes that the measure is justified it shall forthwith inform the Member State that has taken the initiative as well as the other Member States thereof. Where, after that consultation, the Commission establishes that the measure is unjustified it shall forthwith inform the Member State that has taken the initiative and the manufacturer or his authorised representative established within the Community thereof. Where the decision referred to in paragraph 1 is justified by the existence of a gap in European specifications, the procedure defined in Article 11 shall apply. 3. Where an interoperability constituent bearing the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity fails to comply, the competent Member State shall take appropriate measures against whomsoever has drawn up the declaration and shall inform the Commission and the other Member States thereof. 4. The Commission shall ensure that the Member States are kept informed of the course and results of that procedure.
Article 13 
1. In order to establish the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity or suitability for use of an interoperability constituent, the manufacturer or his authorised representative established in the Community shall apply the provisions laid down by the relevant TSIs. 2. Assessment of the conformity or suitability for use of an interoperability constituent shall be carried out by the notified body with which the manufacturer or his authorised representative established in the Community has lodged the application. 3. Where interoperability constituents are the subject of other Community directives covering other aspects, the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity or suitability for use shall, in such instances, state that the interoperability constituents also meet the requirements of those other directives. 4. Where neither the manufacturer nor his authorised representative established in the Community has met the obligations arising out of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, those obligations shall be incumbent on any person who places interoperability constituents on the market. The same obligations shall apply to whomsoever assembles interoperability constituents or parts of interoperability constituents having diverse origins or manufactures interoperability constituents for his own use, for the purposes of this Directive. 5. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 12: (a) in each instance where the Member State finds that the ‘EC’ declaration of conformity has been drawn up improperly, the manufacturer or his authorised representative established in the Community shall be required to restore the interoperability constituent to a state of conformity and to terminate the infringement under the conditions laid down by that Member State; (b) where non-conformity persists, the Member State shall take all appropriate steps to restrict or prohibit the placing on the market of the interoperability constituent at issue, or to ensure that it is withdrawn from the market in accordance with the procedures provided for in Article 12.
Article 14 
1. Each Member State shall authorise the putting into service of those structural subsystems constituting the trans-European conventional rail system which are located or operated in its territory. To this end, Member States shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that these subsystems may be put into service only if they are designed, constructed and installed in such a way as to meet the essential requirements concerning them when integrated into the trans-European conventional rail system. In particular, they shall check the compatibility of these subsystems with the system into which they are being integrated. 2. Each Member State shall check when they are put into service and at regular intervals thereafter, that these subsystems are operated and maintained in accordance with the essential requirements concerning them. To that end, the assessment and verification procedures laid down in the respective structural and functional TSIs shall be used. 3. In the event of renewal or upgrading, the infrastructure manager or the railway undertaking shall send the Member State concerned a file describing the project. The Member State shall examine this file and, taking account of the implementation strategy indicated in the applicable TSI, shall decide whether the size of the works means that a new authorisation for placing in service within the meaning of this Directive is needed. Such new authorisation for placing in service shall be required each time the overall safety level of the subsystem concerned may be affected by the works envisaged. If a new authorisation is needed, the Member State shall decide to what extent the TSIs need to be applied to the project. The Member State shall notify its decision to the Commission and the other Member States. 4. Where Member States authorise the placing in service of rolling stock, they shall be responsible for ensuring that an alphanumeric identification code is assigned to each vehicle. This code must be marked on each vehicle and be entered in a national vehicle register that meets the following criteria: (a) the register shall comply with the common specifications defined in paragraph 5; (b) the register shall be kept and updated by a body independent of any railway undertaking; (c) the register shall be accessible to the safety authorities and investigating bodies designated in Articles 16 and 21 of Directive 2004/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on safety on the Community's railways (Railway Safety Directive) ( 12 ). It shall also be made accessible, in response to any legitimate request, to the regulatory bodies designated in Article 30 of Directive 2001/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001 on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certification ( 13 ), to the Agency, to the railway undertakings and to the infrastructure managers. In case of rolling stock placed in service for the first time in a third country, Member States may accept vehicles clearly identified according to a different coding system. However, once a Member State has authorised the placing in service of such vehicles on its territory, it must be possible to retrieve the corresponding data, listed below in paragraph 5(c), (d) and (e), through the register. 5. The common specifications for the register shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 21(2), on the basis of the draft specifications prepared by the Agency. These draft specifications shall include: content, data format, functional and technical architecture, operating mode, rules for data input and consultation. The register shall contain at least the following information: (a) references to the EC declaration of verification and the issuing body; (b) references to the register of rolling stock mentioned in Article 24; (c) identification of the owner of the vehicle or the lessee; (d) any restrictions on how the vehicle may be used; (e) safety-critical data relating to the maintenance schedule of the vehicle.
Article 15 
Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 19, Member States may not, in their territory and on grounds concerning this Directive, prohibit, restrict or hinder the construction, putting into service and operating of structural subsystems constituting the trans-European conventional rail system which meet the essential requirements. In particular, they may not require checks which have already been carried out as part of the procedure leading to the ‘EC’ declaration of verification, the components of which are set out in Annex V.
Article 16 
1. Member States shall consider as being interoperable and meeting the essential requirements concerning them, those structural subsystems constituting the trans-European conventional rail system which are covered by the ‘EC’ declaration of verification. 2. Verification of the interoperability, in accordance with the essential requirements, of a structural subsystem constituting the trans-European conventional rail system shall be established by reference to TSIs where they exist. 3. In the absence of TSIs, and including cases when a derogation has been notified under Article 7, Member States shall send the other Member States and the Commission, for each subsystem, a list of the technical rules in use for implementing the essential requirements. This shall be notified before 30 April 2005 and following that, each time the list of technical rules is changed. On that occasion, Member States shall also designate the bodies responsible for carrying out, in the case of these technical regulations, the verification procedure referred to in Article 18.
Article 17 
Where it appears that the TSIs do not fully meet the essential requirements the Committee referred to in Article 21 may be consulted at the request of a Member State or on the initiative of the Commission. In such a case, the TSIs shall be reviewed in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 6(2). If certain technical aspects corresponding to the essential requirements cannot be explicitly covered in a TSI, they shall be clearly identified in an Annex to the TSI. Article 16(3) shall apply to these aspects.
Article 18 
1. In order to establish the ‘EC’ declaration of verification, the procurement entity or its official representative shall invite the notified body that it has selected for that purpose to apply the ‘EC’ verification procedure referred to in Annex VI. 2. The task of the notified body responsible for the ‘EC’ verification of a subsystem shall begin at the design stage and cover the entire manufacturing period through to the acceptance stage before the subsystem is put into service. It shall also cover verification of the interfaces of the subsystem in question with the system into which it is incorporated, based on the information available in the relevant TSI and in the registers provided for in Article 24. 3. The notified body shall be responsible for compiling the technical file that has to accompany the ‘EC’ declaration of verification. This technical file must contain all the necessary documents relating to the characteristics of the subsystem and, where appropriate, all the documents certifying conformity of the interoperability constituents. It should also contain all the elements relating to the conditions and limits of use and to the instructions concerning servicing, constant or routine monitoring, adjustment and maintenance.
Article 19 
1. Where a Member State finds that a structural subsystem covered by the ‘EC’ declaration of verification accompanied by the technical file does not fully comply with this Directive and in particular does not meet the essential requirements, it may request that additional checks be carried out. 2. The Member State making the request shall forthwith inform the Commission of any additional checks requested and set out the substantiating reasons therefor. The Commission shall without delay initiate the procedure provided for in Article 21(2).
Article 20 
1. Member States shall notify to the Commission and the other Member States the bodies responsible for carrying out the procedure for the assessment of conformity or suitability for use referred to in Article 13 and the verification procedure referred to in Article 18, indicating each body's area of responsibility, and the identification numbers obtained in advance from the Commission. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities the list of bodies, their identification numbers and areas of responsibility, and shall keep the list updated. 2. Member States shall apply the criteria provided for in Annex VII for the assessment of the bodies to be notified. Bodies meeting the assessment criteria provided for in the relevant European standards shall be deemed to meet the said criteria. 3. A Member State shall withdraw approval from a body which no longer meets the criteria referred to in Annex VII. It shall forthwith inform the Commission and the other Member States thereof. 4. Should a Member State or the Commission consider that a body notified by another Member State does not meet the relevant criteria, the matter shall be referred to the Committee provided for in Article 21, which shall deliver its opinion within three months. In the light of the opinion of the Committee, the Commission shall inform the Member State in question of any changes that are necessary for the notified body to retain the status conferred upon it. 5. The Commission shall set up a notified bodies coordination group (hereinafter referred to as the coordination group) which shall discuss any matter relating to the application of the procedures for assessing conformity or suitability for the use referred to in Article 13 and the verification procedure referred to in Article 18, or to application of the relevant TSIs. Member States' representatives may take part in the work of the coordination group as observers. The Commission and the observers shall inform the committee referred to in Article 21 of the work carried out in the framework of this coordination group. The Commission, when appropriate, will propose the measures needed to remedy the problems. Where necessary, coordination of the notified bodies shall be implemented in accordance with Article 21.
Article 21 
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee established by Article 21 of Directive 96/48/EC (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’). 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof. The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months. 3. The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure. 4. Should it prove necessary, the Committee may set up working parties to assist it in carrying out its tasks, in particular with a view to coordinating the notified bodies.
Article 21a 
The Commission may submit to the Committee any matter relating to the implementation of this Directive. If necessary, the Commission shall adopt an implementing recommendation in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2).
Article 21b 
Annexes II to VI may be amended in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2).
Article 22 
Once this Directive enters into force, the Committee may discuss any matter relating to the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system, including questions relating to interoperability between the trans-European rail system and the rail system of third countries.
Article 23 
1. The order of priority for the adoption of the TSIs shall be as follows, without prejudice to the order of adoption of the mandates provided for in Article 6(1): (a) the first group of TSIs shall cover control/command and signalling; telematic applications for freight services; traffic operation and management (including staff qualifications for cross-border services respecting the criteria defined in Annexes II and III); freight wagons; noise problems deriving from rolling stock and infrastructure. As regards rolling stock, that intended for international use shall be developed first; (b) the following aspects shall also be discussed in the light of the resources of the Commission and the Agency: telematic applications for passenger services, maintenance, with particular regard to safety, passenger carriages, traction units and locomotives, infrastructure, energy and air pollution. As regards rolling stock, that intended for international use shall be developed first; (c) at the request of the Commission, a Member State or the Agency, the Committee may decide, in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2), to draw up a TSI for an additional subject in so far as it concerns a subsystem mentioned in Annex II. 2. The Commission, in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 21(2), shall draw up a work programme observing the order of priority referred to in paragraph 1 and that of the other tasks entrusted to it by this Directive. The TSIs mentioned in the first work programme referred to in paragraph 1(a) shall be drawn up not later than 20 April 2004. 3. The work programme shall consist of the following stages: (a) development on the basis of a draft established by the Agency of a representative architecture of the conventional rail system, based on the list of subsystems (Annex II), to guarantee consistency between TSIs. This architecture must include in particular the various constituents of this system and their interfaces and act as a reference framework for defining the areas of use of each TSI; (b) adoption of a model structure for developing TSIs; (c) adoption of a method of cost-benefit analysis of the solutions set out in the TSIs; (d) adoption of the mandates needed to draw up the TSIs; (e) adoption of the basic parameters for each TSI; (f) approval of draft standardisation programmes; (g) management of the transition period between the date of entry into force of Directive 2004/50/EC ( 14 ) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 amending Council Directive 96/48/EC on the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system and Directive 2001/16/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system and publication of the TSIs, including the adoption of the reference system mentioned in Article 25.
Article 24 
1. The Member States shall ensure that registers of infrastructure and of rolling stock are published and updated annually. Those registers shall indicate the main features of each subsystem or part subsystem involved (e.g. the basic parameters) and their correlation with the features laid down by the applicable TSIs. To that end, each TSI shall indicate precisely which information must be included in the registers of infrastructure and of rolling stock. 2. A copy of those registers shall be sent to the Member States concerned and to the Agency and shall be made available for consultation by interested parties, including at least the professional actors from the sector.
Article 25 
1. The Agency shall develop, in accordance with Articles 3 and 12 of Regulation (EC) No 881/2004, on the basis of the information notified by the Member States under Article 16(3), technical documents from the profession and the texts of the relevant international agreements, a draft reference system of technical rules ensuring the current degree of interoperability of the lines and rolling stock that will be brought within the scope of this Directive as defined in Article 1(3). The Commission, following the procedure set out in Article 21(2), shall examine this draft and decide whether it may constitute a reference system pending the adoption of TSIs. 2. Following adoption of the abovementioned reference system, Member States shall inform the Committee of their intention to adopt any national provision or of the development of any project in their territory which diverges from the reference system.
Article 26 
Any decision taken pursuant to this Directive concerning the assessment of conformity or suitability for use of interoperability constituents, the checking of subsystems constituting the trans-European conventional rail system and any decision taken pursuant to Articles 11, 12, 17 and 19 shall set out in detail the reasons on which it is based. It shall be notified as soon as possible to the party concerned, together with an indication of the remedies available under the laws in force in the Member State concerned and of the time limits allowed for the exercise of such remedies.
Article 27 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions needed to comply with this Directive no later than 20 April 2003, with the exception of the provisions specific to each TSI which shall be implemented in accordance with the arrangements specific to each TSI. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by the Member States.
Article 28 
Every two years, and for the first time 20 April 2005 the Commission shall report to the European Parliament and the Council on the progress made towards achieving interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system. That report shall also include an analysis of the cases set out in Article 7. The joint representative body shall develop and regularly update a tool capable of providing, at the request of a Member State or the Commission, a chart of the interoperability level of the trans-European conventional rail system. That tool shall use the information available in the registers provided for in Article 24.
Article 29 
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
Article 30 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.