High speed train directive

EU directives are aimed at removing barriers to trade. Many existing directives emphasise safety issues because national safety regulations have often presented barriers to trade. However it is to be expected that as technology develops directives will need to address fundamentally new issues rather than merely regularising existing arrangements. This is already happening, particularly in the field of systems engineering. One of the best examples is the proposed High Speed Train Directive. This directive will have major implications for railway systems engineering, but also illustrates trends which are likely to affect all safety related system engineers