Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Adopts European Integration Law in the Railway Transport Sector

On June 9, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in its entirety the Law “On the Safety and Interoperability of Railway Transport of Ukraine” (Registration No. 14174 dated October 31, 2025), the draft of which was prepared for the second reading by the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

The bill was developed to implement European Union (EU) railway legislation into Ukraine’s national legal framework and provides for:

• – the establishment of a railway safety management system in accordance with EU legislation, which will improve transportation safety;
• – the introduction of risk assessment procedures for railway operations and a European approach to rolling stock maintenance and responsibility for its safe condition;
• – the establishment of a legal framework for technical regulation and authorization of railway subsystems for operation;
• – the introduction of a European licensing and certification system for locomotive/train drivers operating on railway infrastructure, as well as the functioning of specialized training centers.

The document implements the requirements of key European directives:

• – Directive (EU) 2016/797 on the interoperability of the rail system;
• – Directive (EU) 2016/798 on railway safety;
• – Directive 2007/59/EC on the certification of train drivers.

The final provisions stipulate that the Law will enter into force three years after its publication.

The adoption and implementation of this Law will enable Ukraine to fulfill its international obligations under the Association Agreement and the EU accession process, while also opening the way to technical and financial support from the European Union.

More detailed information can be found in the News section dated November 3 and 24, 2025, and May 5, 15, and 19, 2026.

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