The month of April will be the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on the topic of ERTMS through two conferences held on the subject. The conference taking place in Copenhagen will facilitate discussions on a policy level, while technical aspects will be the focus of the conference organised by UIC in Stockholm.
On 17 April 2012 the Danish Presidency, together with the European Commission, will co-host a conference on the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) in Copenhagen.
The main aim of the conference will be to discuss the lessons learned from implementing ERTMS in different countries. Ministers and stakeholders will reflect on the issue of equipment compatibility, the cost of implementation and certification of equipment. The conference in Copenhagen should also make it possible to explore how EU financial instruments can be mobilised effectively to speed up the deployment of ERTMS in Europe.
Against this backdrop, UIC is organising the 10th ERTMS world conference under the theme “ERTMS – Global Dimensions”.
This event will give participants a technical overview of ERTMS, notably through:
- A complete overview of ERTMS and its components
- Lessons learned from implementing the system
- Best practice throughout the world
- A guideline to strategic decisions
and in particular through the ERTMS Regional Technical Visit, a live demonstration coordinated by Trafikverket and Bombardier prior to the conference on 24 April. The trip will show how the ERTMS concept is applied to achieve optimum solutions, even for reduced infrastructure costs on low traffic and regional lines. ERTMS Regional is the result of international collaboration within UIC which started in 1998. The Regional system has been developed from specifications defined to meet the requirements for a traffic control system for low density lines. Trafikverket is the first railway administration to have used this specification to procure development and installation of ERTMS Regional.
The conference will serve as an opportunity to take stock and hold discussions with the heads of the European Commission, the European Railway Agency (ERA), railway companies and infrastructure managers – and of course manufacturers of ERTMS products on progress in the implementation of ERTMS at European level, the obstacles to this development and proposed solutions. As the main theme of the conference “ERTMS – Global Dimensions”, already indicates, particular emphasis will be placed on the implementation of projects for ERTMS in various regions across the world.
Following the welcome and keynote speech on 25 April by Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd, Swedish Minister of Transport, and Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director-General, the various conference sessions over the two days will address themes such as:
- “ERTMS in the political environment” (with, in particular, representatives of the European Commission – namely Jean-Eric Paquet, Chairman of the session – Trafikverket and CER)
- “Facilitating ERTMS deployment in Europe” (session chaired by Karel Vinck, EU Coordinator for ERTMS, with the participation of the European Railway Agency, ERA)
- “European applications” (session chaired by Pio Guido, Head of the ERTMS Unit at ERA); “ERTMS worldwide applications” (one session chaired by Michel Van Liefferinge, UNISIG General Manager, another by Sven Hakan Nilsson of Trafikverket)
- “Optimising ERTMS investment” (chaired by Michel Ruesen of the ERTMS Users Group)
- “ERTMS future extensions” (session chaired by Michele Elia, CEO of RFI and Chairman of the UIC Control Command, Signalling & Operations Sector)
A closing panel will bring together the representatives of all the stakeholders and institutions involved.
A large number of exhibitors, industry and institutional partners who play a key role in the production and roll-out of ERTMS will present their solutions and technologies. Among them:
Trafikverket and UIC, Thales, Invensys Rail, Siemens Transportation, Mermec SpA, Ansaldo STS, Bombardier Transport, GE Transportation, Kapsch CarrierCom AG, Multitel, Frequentis AG, ERSA, Solutions Pixy and ERTMS, AZD Praha SRO, Sagem Communications, Wenzel Elektronik GmbH, EurailPress
There are still some exhibition booths and a few sponsoring opportunities left:
http://www.ertms-conference2012.com or ertms2012 at congrex.com
For more information and online registration please visit the ERTMS 2012 conference website:
