Ukraine is preparing a large-scale reform of the railway industry: the Committee recommended the draft law on safety and interoperability for the second reading

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Transport and Infrastructure recommended for the second reading draft law No. 14174 “On the safety and interoperability of railway transport in Ukraine”. The document should become the basis for the integration of Ukrainian railways into the single European transport space.

The draft law provides for a large-scale reform of the industry: the separation of the functions of the carrier and the infrastructure operator, the introduction of traffic safety management systems, new rules for the certification of drivers and the creation of an independent body for the investigation of transport accidents.

One of the key innovations is the preparation for the demonopolization of the market and the creation of conditions for the operation of private locomotives on Ukrainian tracks. In addition, the draft law implements a number of EU directives and is an important condition for the fulfillment of Ukraine’s international obligations within the framework of the Ukraine Facility program.

At the same time, experts draw attention to possible corruption risks and the declarative nature of certain norms of the document. Despite this, the relevant parliamentary committee supported the recommendation to adopt the draft law in the second reading by 12 votes.