ERTMS Rollout Still Lagging as Industry Calls for Simpler Rules and Faster Deployment

Europe’s flagship rail signalling system is still far behind schedule. The industry says the problem isn’t ambition; it’s execution.

Radically reducing red tape in the authorisation process, downsizing project-specific requirements and harmonising trackside assets will help accelerate the rollout of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), enabling Europe to reach the target set under the TEN-T framework.

It comes as the European ERTMS Coordinator Matthias Ruete outlined in the 2026 Third ERTMS Work Plan earlier this year that "deployment on the TEN-T network remains significantly behind schedule and structurally uneven across Member States." UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe used his appearance at the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) ERTMS Conference in Valenciennes to rally support for a renewed path, as the rollout faces stagnation without an emphatic change of direction.

According to late 2024 data, only 17% of the TEN-T core network is equipped with ETCS (approx. 10,600–12,400 km) and around 19% of the EU railway fleet (approx. 8,730 vehicles) equipped with on-board technology, meaning policymakers and the rail sector must act now to get the rollout on track.

What Needs to Change

As part of the proposed shift, the European Rail Supply Industry calls for several key measures to unblock deployment and reduce complexity across the system. These include harmonising and simplifying requirements to ensure consistent deployment across Europe, stabilising standards so they are fully proven before adoption, and streamlining authorisation processes by cutting duplication and unnecessary steps.

The sector also stresses the need to reduce fragmentation and risk, particularly by accelerating the phase-out of legacy systems and lowering the cost burden of dual-system operations, while opening the market to broader supplier participation. Additional priorities include ensuring readiness for FRMCS as the successor to GSM-R, while recognising that ETCS systems remain highly complex, safety-critical technologies that must be protected from interference by high-risk third-country actors.

Industry Warning

UNIFE maintains that it is ready to support European policymakers and continue working with sector partners, while acknowledging the efforts of the European Commission and ERA to address the current challenges.

As Enno Wiebe put it: "The will and the momentum to deliver ERTMS® is there. What is currently lacking is in the execution, the coordination, and financing. These are the real bottlenecks, and solving these are critical to get the job done."

"There is still too much variation, too much complexity around authorisation and too many different technical solutions. These are all cost drivers, and we need to get on the same page and ensure everything from requirements to authorisations are simple and to the point."

"There is no going back on ERTMS®, but we cannot continue as we have. Europe must come together, rethink its approach and make the difficult choices needed to move forward, including letting go of practices that no longer serve us."

Source: UNIFE