EU Railway Safety Regulation Amendment: What Companies Must Review

Key data

Railway companies and infrastructure managers operating in the EU have a new review obligation following the publication, on 7 April 2026, of the amendment to the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/762. This amendment updates the current regulatory text on common safety methods (CSM) applicable to railway safety management systems, within the framework of the Directive (EU) 2016/798.

This is not a new regulation from scratch: it is an amendment to the regulation originally published in the Official Journal L 129 of 25 May 2018. However, amendments to the Official Journal have full legal effect, which means that the amended text is the applicable text. Ignoring it may result in non-compliance in safety management systems or certification files.

What does this regulation establish?

Regulation (EU) 2018/762 establishes the common safety methods (CSM) relating to the requirements that safety management systems in the European railway sector must meet. Its legal basis is Directive (EU) 2016/798 on railway safety.

When approved in 2018, this regulation repealed two previous regulations:

• Regulation (EU) No 1158/2010
• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2010

The amendment published in April 2026 modifies the text of the 2018 regulation. Amendments in the EU Official Journal occur when material errors, omissions or inconsistencies are detected in the original published text. The exact content of each amendment should be consulted in the text published in the EU Official Journal.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this amendment is operational and regulatory compliance, not economic in terms of new fees or quantified penalties in the publication. However, the practical consequences for affected organizations may be significant:

• Review of internal documentation: Documented safety management systems must be compared with the amended text. If there are discrepancies, it will be necessary to update procedures, work instructions or safety manuals.
• Impact on certification processes: Entities in the process of obtaining or renewing their safety certification must verify that their file complies with the amended text. A file based on the previous text could generate observations or delays from the certification body.
• Cost of internal review: Although the amendment does not establish new fees, the cost of reviewing and updating documentation falls on each organization. The volume of work will depend on the specific scope of the amendments introduced.
• Risk of non-compliance: Operating with a safety management system that does not reflect the current regulatory text may result in observations during audits or problems with the national railway safety authority.

Who does it affect?

The amendment affects all entities that must comply with Regulation (EU) 2018/762 within the European Union:

• Railway companies: Operators of railway transport services that must maintain a safety management system in accordance with the CSM established in the regulation.
• Railway infrastructure managers: Entities responsible for the management, maintenance and development of the railway network, which are also subject to safety management system requirements.
• Certification bodies: Entities that evaluate and certify the safety management systems of railway companies and infrastructure managers. They must apply the amended text in their evaluation processes.

Practical example

A Spanish railway company operating freight services that obtained its safety certification in 2023 based on Regulation (EU) 2018/762 should act as follows following the publication of this amendment:

1. Download the text of the amendment published on 07/04/2026 in the EU Official Journal.
2. Compare the amended sections with the procedures and documents of its currently active safety management system.
3. If any internal procedure makes literal reference to the modified articles or annexes, update those documents to reflect the amended text.
4. If the company has a planned renewal or extension of its safety certificate, inform its certification body that it has reviewed the impact of the amendment and that its documentation is aligned with the current text.

The same process applies to an infrastructure manager that has its safety management system audited periodically: the next audit will take the amended text as reference, not the original 2018 version.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and read the amendment text: Access the EU Official Journal and obtain the full text of the amendment published on 07/04/2026. Identify exactly which articles or annexes of Regulation (EU) 2018/762 have been modified.
2. Conduct an internal impact analysis: Compare the changes introduced with your current safety management system. Determine whether any procedure, instruction or safety document references the amended sections.
3. Update affected documentation: If the analysis detects discrepancies, update internal documents to reflect the amended regulatory text. Keep a record of the change and the date of update.
4. Inform the certification body if there is an active process: If your entity is in the process of certification or has an active audit scheduled, inform the certification body that you have reviewed the impact of the amendment and that your documentation reflects the current text.