About PRIME

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Description

PRIME stands for a 'Platform of Rail Infrastructure Managers in Europe' and was established in Tallinn on 16 October 2013.

The objectives of PRIME are the implementation of the Single European Rail Area, better deployment of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), performance benchmarking and exchange of best practice amongst infrastructure managers.

In June 2017, PRIME decided to uptake the role of the European Network of Infrastructure Managers as foreseen in Article 7f of Directive 2012/34/EU establishing a single European railway area, as amended by Directive (EU) 2016/2370. The tasks of the Network are:

(a)   develop Union rail infrastructure;

(b)   support the timely and efficient implementation of the single European railway area;

(c)   exchange best practices;

(d)   monitor and benchmark performance, including identification of common principles and practices for the monitoring and benchmarking of performance in a consistent manner;

(e)   contribute to the market monitoring activities;

(f)   tackle cross-border bottlenecks; and

(g)   discuss the application of cooperation in relation to charging systems and the allocation of infrastructure capacity on more than one network.

Tasks under paragraph (b) relating to early preparation of implementing and delegated acts or other legislative proposals and policy initiatives, shall be carried out by the PRIME Commission Expert Group (E02983).

Working Arrangements

The modus operandi of PRIME is defined in its Rules of Procedure:

PRIME Rules of procedure amended 18Nov2019.pdf

PRIME has three principle working structures:

Plenary

Plenary meetings take place 2 times per year, are attended at high level and are chaired by the Platform co-chairs: Kristian Schmidt (DG MOVE) and Alain Quinet (SNCF Réseau). More information: Plenary Meetings

Subgroups

Subgroups work at operational level on topics identified by PRIME members as priorities.
Subgroups are chaired by different infrastructure managers who are members of PRIME. More information: Subgroups

Cooperation Platforms

PRIME members may decide to hold joint meetings with other bodies such as the ENRRB (European Network of Rail Regulatory Bodies) or the RU Dialogue (Railway Undertaking's Dialogue) to discuss matters falling within common areas of responsibility and interest. More information: Cooperation Platforms

Members

Conditions for becoming a member

PRIME members are rail infrastructure managers and allocation and charging bodies, (where not part of the rail infrastructure managers) from EU Member States and EFTA States, and the European Commission. The members are either the 'Main Infrastructure Managers' or 'Other Infrastructure Managers'. The Main Infrastructure Managers are determined by each EU State and their participation in PRIME is mandatory. Other Infrastructure Managers shall send an application to PRIME Co-chairs in order to join the Network and their participation in voluntary. There is no membership fee, but the expenses of participation in meetings are usually covered by the members themselves. PRIME has currently in addition to the European Commission 37 members, including all main infrastructure managers of EU Member States. The European Union Agency for Railways and the industry associations of European rail IMs (CER, EIM, RNE and VDV) participate as observers.

List of members

EC

Infrastructure Managers

Observers