Version for the visually impaired
(Federation francaise des industries ferrovaires (FIF).
23-24 April, Paris
April 23-24, 2014 in Paris (France) took place the International Conference of the National Association of manufacturers of railway equipment (OPZHT) and the French Federation of railway industry (Federation francaise des industries ferrovaires (FIF)) dedicated to the French-Russian cooperation in sphere of development of rail transport and mechanical engineering. In the conference also took part the Director General of UNIFE Philip Citroen, General Manager of UNIFE Bernard Kaufmann.
The Conference was held under the chairmanship of the President of Russian railways Vladimir Yakunin, President of NP “OPZHT”, Senior Vice President of Russian railways Valentin Gapanovich and President of the FIF Louis Negrè.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the RSPP Committee for technical regulation, standardization and conformity assessment, the CEO of CJSC “Sinara Group” Dmitry Pumpyansky, first Deputy Chairman of the RSPP Committee for technical regulation, standardization and conformity assessment Andrey Lotsmanov, , Vice President of NP “OPZHT”, Deputy General Director for external relations and innovation of OJSC “Sinara transport machines” Anton Zubihin. The Conference was also attended by representatives of more than 100 Russian and European industrial enterprises, scientific institutes of the railway industry and transport engineering. Among them, in particular, representatives of “NIIAS”, OJSC “VNIKTI”, JSC “Transpnevmatika”, JSC “ELARA”, JSC “MTZ Transmash”, OJSC “HK SDS-mash”, OJSC “Evrazholding”, ALSTOM Transport, SIEMENS, BOMBARDIER, LOHR Industrie, FAIVELEY Transport, ANSALDO STS, THALES and others.
During the Conference participants discussed the role of industrial associations and unions in the reform of the system of technical regulation in Customs Union; the EU strategy on long-term improvement of the system of technical regulation, standardization and certification, industrial prospects and regulatory cooperation between the EU and Russia. In addition they discussed the system of hierarchy of normative and technical documentation in the European Union including the TSI (technical specifications) and standards EN, innovative technologies in the field of high-speed transport and railway safety systems.
After discussing a wide range of issues were raising, and the Conference’s participants noted the need to continue maintaining a uniform technical policy in the field of harmonization of standards. They stressed that today the integration processes in the creation of a unified technical policy has two main fronts.
The first area is the formation of a single technical legislation and standards in the former Soviet Union area in the framework of the Customs Union and the Interstate Council for Standardization, it includes CIS countries that are the countries with rail space gauge 1520 mm.
The second area is the integration at the international level, especially in the field of harmonization of technical regulations and European directives and standards in Russia and the European Union.
The aim of cooperation between FIF and the NP "OPZHT" will be the exchange of information in the field of standardization, including standards and procedures. In addition the cooperation will facilitate greater interaction between the French and Russian bodies for Standardization, coordination and mutual support in regional and international standardization bodies including ISO.
The Conference noted that the significant event of the past year in the area of approximation of technical regulation and standardization of the European Union and Russia was the signing of the Cooperation agreement between CEN/CENELEC and Rosstandard. As part of its implementation in 2014 it is planned to develop a program of participation of Russian and European experts in the work of the technical committees of CEN/CENELEC and Rosstandard. The joint work of experts in the committees will greatly enhance the level and degree of harmonization of European and Russian legislation, which, in its turn, will affect the reduction of technical barriers to trade and accelerate mutual transfer of best foreign technologies.
It should be noted that the harmonization of Russian and European technical legislation in the field of railway transport is one of the main activities of the RSPP Committee for technical regulation, standardization and conformity assessment. This work has been conducted within the IRT TF 8. Many participants of the Conference form Russian and European parties actively participated in the development of the IRT/TF 8 recommendations that has been presented in 2013.
In the framework of the Conference the meeting of representatives of JSC "Russian railways", NP"OPZHT", RSPP Committee and UNIFE for discussing the collaboration on standards and training was held, in this meeting it was decided to develop Manuals for European suppliers operate in the Russian market for application of the technical regulations of the Customs Union.
As a result of the Conference both Russian and French side agreed on the participation of their experts in the development and review of drafts of technical standards, rules and regulations within the framework of the work of the technical committees.
To reduce technical barriers in the field of product safety and quality, will be analyzed by the European Union and the Customs Union practices and mandatory conformity assessment of products and developed measures aimed at strengthening the fight against trafficking of counterfeit and adulterated goods in rail transport.
On the outcome of the International Conference of the National Association of manufacturers of railway equipment and the French Federation of railway industry had consolidated all discussions in signed Resolution on Franco-Russian cooperation in sphere of development of rail transport and mechanical engineering.
The Resolution stressed the need for Russian-European Council on technical regulation, the idea to create such platform was launched by the RSPP Committee for technical regulation, standardization and conformity assessment. Today RSPP, BelAPP and the National Chamber of entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan jointly with the European industry association ORGALIME are working on the creation of the International Council on technical regulation. It will continue the work on the harmonization of technical legislation of the Customs Union and the EU, will establish new contacts and will expand cooperation in the development, coordination and harmonization of standards and conformity assessment procedures.
Within the event also was signed the agreement on cooperation between the non-commercial partnership “Association of railway equipment manufacturers” and the “Association of European railway industries” (UNIFE). The document was signed by the President of the NP “OPZHT” Valentin Gapanovich, Director General of UNIFE Philippe Citroen.
The next step in the development of cooperation with European counterparts in the field of railway transport will be the event dedicated to the interaction between Russia and Germany in the field of technical regulation and standardization of the railway transport, which will take place on 5-6 June in Kazan. During the Paris Conference many French experts had expressed the wish to participate there.
The Conference was held in a friendly atmosphere and showed the willingness of both sides to promote mutual cooperation in all directions.