Joint Statement – UIC, UIP, ERFA and CER on responsibility of Wagon Keeper for maintenance

The associations welcome that both TRAN and the Council in their decisions acknowledge the important role of the keeper of rail freight wagons as well as the need to define the term keeper in the Safety Directive and to clearly identify the keeper in the national vehicle registers.

The associations further welcome that TRAN voted unanimously in favour of the sole responsibility of the keeper for the maintenance and in favour of a mandatory certification of the maintenance management of the keeper.

The associations strongly object, for the reasons given below, to the proposal of the Council to introduce an additional entity in charge of maintenance in the Safety Directive which is not in every case identical with the wagon keeper