System Pillar

The System Pillar acts as the “system integrator” of the Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail), ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach to the evolution of the European rail system. It provides the governance, resources and technical outputs needed to align the sector around a shared vision.

Its main objective is to bring together the European rail community under a common framework to improve performance, reduce costs and deliver better services for passengers and freight.  This is achieved through a shared operational vision and common system architecture, supporting the deployment of harmonised and innovative solutions across Europe, in line with the goals of the Single European Railway Area (SERA).

Today, the European rail system remains fragmented, with national and regional approaches to system design and architecture. This lack of a unified EU-wide perspective makes innovation more complex and costly and limits the overall efficiency and competitiveness of rail transport.

To address this, the System Pillar develops a common operational concept and a functional, safe and secure system architecture. It also defines the associated specifications and standards in key areas such as control-command and signalling (CCS), traffic management systems (TMS), digital automatic coupling (DAC) and cybersecurity. These efforts support interoperability, system integration and the harmonised deployment of digital solutions across Europe.

The technical outputs developed within the System Pillar contribute to European standardisation and feed into the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs).

The System Pillar is managed and led by the System Pillar Unit of EU-Rail, under the responsibility of the Executive Director, within the governance established by the Single Basic Act (Council Regulation (EU) No 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021).

Read more on Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking Multiannual Work Programme – Version 4.0, 24 June 2025.