Interoperability remains the key unresolved challenge for achieving cohesion in rail transport across the continent. Removing the technical barriers created by differing national signalling systems is a critical step, not only for the competitiveness of the sector but also for meeting the sustainability targets set out in the European Green Deal. ERTMS has become the essential standard to enable passengers and freight to cross borders in a seamless, safe and efficient manner, turning the trans-European network into a unified mobility space.
Ineco has positioned itself as the European Commission’s technical reference in the implementation of ERTMS, having worked within the Deployment Management Team (DMT) since 2015. The company leads the consortium responsible for coordinating and overseeing the rollout of the system across the nine corridors of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). With more than 25 years of accumulated expertise, dating back to the early research phases of the system in Spain, Ineco today acts as a vital bridge between legislative bodies, safety agencies and the global rail industry.
Strategy and Technical Oversight
Ineco’s role extends beyond technical supervision to encompass the overall management of the European implementation programme. Notably, it has played a key role in drafting the European Commission’s third Work Plan, published in 2026, which sets out priorities and strategic measures to accelerate ERTMS deployment with a view to 2030.
Within this framework, the company acts as a central coordinating body, ensuring effective governance between infrastructure managers, operators and national safety authorities, and guaranteeing that the system remains interoperable and consistent throughout the European Union.
In addition, Ineco provides specialised technical assistance, including economic, financial, communication and organisational support, to ensure that each deployment project strictly complies with the performance and safety standards required by the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).
Technical information
Innovation and the Future of the Sector
As a pioneer in the implementation of the system (since its first commissioning on the Madrid–Lleida line in 2006) Ineco continues to drive the technological evolution of ERTMS. The company is currently leading research in key areas such as satellite-based positioning, automation of track–train compatibility testing, integration of technologies such as Automatic Train Operation (ATO), and advanced positioning enhancement systems (ASTP). Its active involvement in Europe’s most influential working groups, including the System Pillar of the EU-Rail initiative, reinforces its role as a driver of digital transformation in the railway sector, both within Europe and in international markets.
