The working group (WG) Security – Border crossing, International Railway Corridors (Security-BIRC) was created in Warsaw on 18 – 19 February 2013. The aim of the WG is to study the issues related to railway cargo and passenger transport at border crossing across the Eurasian space in order to improve the safety and security in this area.

This working group is composed of three subgroups:

• 1st subgroup: “Security-International Freight Corridor” Coordinated by CCTT: Coordination Council for Trans-Siberian Transportation
• 2nd subgroup: “Security-International Passenger Corridor” Coordinated by FPC: Federal Passenger Company
• 3rd subgroup: “Security-Borders Crossing” Coordinated by SOK: Railway Security Guard

Under the chair Włodzimierz Ternawski (PKP PLK S. A.) over 30 participants deliberated inter alia about:

• Upcoming leaflets concerning security of
  • the railway border crossings,
  • international freight transport within the East-West corridor and
  • passenger transport within the East-West corridor.
• Shared experience regarding the
  • intellectual monitoring of the condition of cargoes en route,
  • experience in the use of electronic seals in the carriage of goods along the East – West axis as well as
  • the implementation of the CCTT Security Train project

Sandra Gehenot (UIC Freight Director) gave a presentation about the work of the UIC Freight Department regarding freight corridors and together with the UIC Security Division the joint activities on railway freight security for 2019 – 2020 were presented.

As a permanent member, representatives from Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency joined this meeting and gave a very expressive presentation about their operational response and international co-operation in the light of a stronger Frontex mandate.

The second WG meeting day was dedicated to the technical meeting of the subgroups “Security-International Freight Corridor” and “Security-International Passenger Corridor”. Topics included a multilateral agreement on information exchange relating to infringing activities taking place on trains involving international transport and the coordination of issues related to the organisation of the test transport of goods by container trains between China and Europe using electronic navigation and control gauges on the Dostyk-Brest section.

The next Security – BIRC plenary meeting is planned for April 2019 and the WG remains open to UIC members.