Amendments to Rail Transport Act to Parliament

On 7 April 2022, the Government submitted to Parliament its proposal for amending the Rail Transport Act. The Government proposes that provisions be included in the Act on requirements for a licence to transfer a vehicle and for various test and pilot projects.

According to the proposal, a licence would be needed, for example, when a vehicle without an authorisation for placing it on the market or taking it into use, was to be transferred in the rail network for maintenance. A compulsory licence for transfer would ensure the safety of such transfers.

The proposed amendments would ease the licence requirements for various test and pilot projects. Such projects would include the tests and pilots of the so-called tram-train services that link autonomous train traffic with traffic on the regular and city rail networks. Relaxed licence requirements would also apply to the use of a mobile laboratory for testing the rail network.

In addition, the proposal would increase the flexibility of the regulation in the Rail Transport Act concerning capacity sharing. It would also review the official duties of the Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. 

Rail Transport Act entered into force in 2019

The Rail Transport Act entered into force on 1 January 2019. It implemented at the national level the fourth EU railway package and all preceding, currently valid EU railway legislation. The government proposal includes a new round of review of the Rail Transport Act.

What's next?

A referral debate on the government proposal submitted to Parliament will be conducted in a Parliament plenary session. Information on the date of the session will be available on the Parliament website.

After the preliminary debate, the proposal will be referred to a committee. The committee will draft a report, which will then be discussed in a plenary session. The Act is scheduled to enter into force on 1 July 2022.

The proposal is to be supplemented later in the spring so that the rolling stock units used for international rail transport of timber could temporarily also be used for transporting timber within Finland.

Inquiries:

Risto Saari, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 40 829 8132, risto.saari(at)gov.fi

Emil Asp, Director of Unit, tel. +358 40 509 9757, emil.asp(at)gov.fi