The last Steering Committee of the UIC Security Platform was held at UIC HQ on Monday 10 June 2013 under the chairmanship of Lubomir Hradisky, Head of the International Relations Department at ZSSK (Slovakia).

An overview was given on the current status of the UIC Global Security Congress, to be held at UIC on 13 and 14 November 2013, and to be followed by technical visits on 15 November. The congress is being organised in cooperation with SNCF. The overarching theme of this Congress will be “Security policy: which strategies, regulations and partnerships for railway companies?”
The invitations signed by Guillaume Pepy, President of SNCF, and Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, UIC Director General, are being sent out. The detailed programme will be composed of proposals that will be received and completed as needed for each of the selected topics. The official dinner hosted by SNCF will take place at Ecole Militaire in Paris.

With regard to the groups and working structures:

• Didier Schwartz, SNCF Security Director and Chairman of Colpofer, presented the developments of this “autonomous but not independent” special UIC group, by highlighting its operational nature, and by announcing the creation of its new working groups.
• On behalf of CER, Alena Havlova recalled the background to the LANDSEC expert group created by the Commission with representatives of member states and various stakeholders, and which will hold its second meeting on 5 July in Brussels. She also mentioned various key points concerning metal theft, graffiti, vandalism and cyber-crime.
• On behalf of EIM, Xavier Epitalon stressed the importance of security regarding yards and critical infrastructure, as well as cyber-security.
• On behalf of UITP, Lindsey Mancinia pointed out that UITP was ready to join the working group on metal theft and the drafting of a position paper. At the next UITP Congress a session will be dedicated to cyber-security.
• Carolin Buettner presented the activity of the Security Platform’s working group on metal theft, chaired by Deutsche Bahn. The partnership with the European Pol Primett project (see eNews 336) will be developed and a position paper should be ready in time for the Congress in November.
• Maria Cristina Fiorentino recalled the involvement of the working group on new technologies as part of the Protectrail project and noted the time frame of the Congress to allow for a review and the creation of a “library” of security solutions and provisions that have been analysed and approved by the group.
• Wlodzimierz Ternawski recalled the creation of the group on Border Crossings and International Rail Corridors in Warsaw on 19 February 2013 and the development of the work programme with CCTT in Moscow on 18 April 2013.

With regard to UIC activities: Jerzy Wisniewski, Director of the Fundamental Values Department, focused on the research projects and the directors for freight and rail system presented the main areas of activity in which they plan collaborative work with the Security Platform and Division. Jacques Colliard recalled the work undertaken with the passenger division to create a handbook on the security of high speed systems, of which a draft is to be presented to the Security Congress.

Finally, concerning the Security Division, José Pires reviewed the various European research projects related to security and monitored with Marie-Hélène Bonneau.
The next Steering Committee is to be held in week 39 (23 – 27 September 2013), notably to finalise the organisation of the Congress and its various modalities.