NB-Rail Association
The NB-Rail Association is an international non-profit organization of the notified bodies for interoperability in the railway sector. The association is installed to support and to complement the activities of NB-Rail coordination group with activities not mandated in the mentioned basics.
Our Vision
NB-Rail is fully committed to:
- a Single European Railway Area conceived and built to a set of European requirements without any technical barriers
- a safe, fast and environmentally-friendly railway system that is competitive with other transport modes such as road, air and water
- an interoperable, Europe-wide, interconnected railway system providing free movement of rolling stock, goods and people, including those with reduced mobility
Mission and Objectives
To achieve this, NB-Rail will:
- use its experience to contribute to achieving a harmonised European legislative framework that is easy and unambiguous to apply
- fully support the Railway Sector in achieving the best possible competitive advantage over other transport sectors
- fully support the role of Conformity Assessment Bodies in certifying products that are interoperable and safe
- advocate the benefits of third- party assessment to verify product safety
- co-operate closely with the European Institutions contributing to the evolution of European Railway Sector regulations
- cooperate closely with European and International Railway Sector stakeholders
- contribute to the harmonisation of the working methods and certification processes of the Conformity Assessment Bodies.
The principal decision for founding an association was done in the plenary meeting of the coordination group no. 42 on 15/10/2014. After half a year of setting up the organization the first general assembly took place on 6/5/2015. On that first day of operation the new association is represented by 28 notified bodies who are deciding as full members on the next steps of the association.
On the next day, 7/5/2015 the association was established through the notary act by seven notified bodies being present. Since then, the association started to fully participate in all relevant acts on European level. It was endorsed as a representative body by the Railway Interoperability and Safety Committee (RISC) on 5/6/2015.
The Minister for Justice executed the implementation of the association on behalf of the king of the Belgians Philippe on 14/6/2015. The association was published in the Royaume Belgique Service Public Federal Justice on 30/6/2015.
These are the Articles of Incorporation:
The permanent bureau
The permanent bureau is responsible for the budgeting and the annual accounting to be approved by the general assembly as well as the definition of the general strategy. In the actual period it consists of:
Executive Committee
Chairman: Jens Wolff, Germany (chairman@nb-rail.eu, tuv.com)
Vice-Chairman: Christoph Held, Germany (christoph.held@nb-rail.eu, tuv-nord.com)
Vice-Chairman: Emilio Cosciotti, Italy (emilio.cosciotti@nb-rail.eu, italcertifer.com)
Administrative Committee
Secretary General: Gergana Asenova-Karaalanova, Bulgaria (office@nb-rail.eu, tinsabg.com)
Treasurer: Philippe Gillet, Belgium (office@nb-rail.eu, certifer.eu)
Deputy Treasurer: Alexandre Tonero, Belgium (office@nb-rail.eu, certifer.eu)
General Manager: Francis Parmentier, Spain (francis.parmentier@nb-rail.eu)
Webmaster: Jens Wolff, Germany (office@nb-rail.eu)