THESSALONIKI – Over 20 participants, experts and representatives of institutions from the Western Balkans, Moldova, and Türkiye gathered in Thessaloniki on 12-13 November 2025 for a two-day IPA Registers Training, jointly organised by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) and the Transport Community.
The training aimed to strengthen understanding and practical use of key European railway registers, supporting safer, more interoperable, and better-connected rail systems across the region.
Over the two days, participants explored core elements of the European railway data architecture, including an in-depth overview of ERA Registers, ERA Ontology, and hands-on work with the Register of Infrastructure (RINF). They also had the opportunity to engage directly with ERA experts on the legal framework, application guidance, and concrete steps needed to populate RINF, an essential tool for transparent, harmonised and efficient management of railway infrastructure information.
The programme also featured sessions led by the OTIF Secretariat on the interface between OTIF and ERA Registers, including ERADIS and VKM, helping participants better understand the shared international standards that keep rail operations safe and interoperable beyond EU borders.
The focus then shifted to the European Vehicle Register (EVR), the current state of play for IPA beneficiaries, and upcoming developments in tools such as SAIT and SRD. The training concluded with a look ahead at planned IPA activities for 2026.
Participation of the observing participants into this event was financed by the European Union under the grant NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2023/452688 to the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community related to preparatory activities to support the progressive involvement of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in the activities of the Transport Community.
