The expert meeting of the OSJD Commission on Transport Policy and Development Strategy on the subject “Directions for the strategic development of railway transport in the OSJD member countries” was held on 16-18 February 2022 in the OSJD Committee in a videoconferencing mode.

The meeting agenda included the following items:

- study of the directions for the strategic development of railway transport in the OSJD member countries and preparation of proposals on general approaches and tasks for the strategic development of railway transport;

- studying the experience and analysis of reforms in the railway transport of the OSJD member countries with the publication of information on the OSJD Website;

- preparation and publication of an information collection on ongoing structural reforms of railway transport in the OSJD member countries;

- consideration of the progress of the work of the OSJD/ERA Contact Group on the interaction of 1520-mm/1435-mm gauge railway systems; - preparation and approval of the draft Work Plan and Work Programme of the OSJD Commission on Transport Policy and Development Strategy.

The meeting participants listened to the presentations and speeches delivered by the representatives from Hungary, Republic of Lithuania, Russian Federation dedicated to the directions for the strategic development of railway transport in their countries, and also took into account the information of the People’s Republic of China provided to the OSJD Committee, on the basis of which they held a discussion and exchanged experience and opinions on the issues of key strategic directions for the development of railway transport in the OSJD member countries.

The materials, previously submitted from the OSJD member countries, on the progress of reforming the railway industry, as well as the materials on this issue, developed since 2008, have been posted on the external portal of the OSJD Website.

The expert meeting kindly invited the OSJD member countries to send to the OSJD Committee up-to-date information on the progress of reforming the railway industry in their countries for further posting on the external portal of the OSJD Website in order to exchange the experience accumulated.

The meeting participants were informed that the OSJD Committee received the materials from a number of the OSJD member countries for the preparation and publication of a collection of works related to the ongoing structural reforms of railway transport, which contained up-to-date information on this issue.

Meanwhile, the meeting participants were informed about the progress of work of the OSJD/ERA Contact Group on the subject “Collaboration between ERA and OSJD on the analysis of the relationship between 1520-mm/1524- mm and 1435-mm rail systems of EU and non-EU states”. In pursuance of the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding between OSJD and ERA for 2020-2024, as well as in accordance with the approved Work Plan, the OSJD-ERA Contact Group held 4 meetings in 2021, during which the work continued on the following subjects:

- analysis of the subsystem “Telematic applications for freight traffic” (final version agreed);

- updating the analysis of the subsystems “Locomotives and multi-unit rolling stock” and “Passenger coaches”;

- updating the analysis of the subsystem “Power Supply” (final version approved);

- updating the analysis of the subsystem “Infrastructure. Tracks and track facilities.” An exchange of relevant information and practical experience was carried out with a view to coordinating the measures aimed at maintaining and improving the existing technical and operational compatibility and unhindered international railway traffic (including crossborder traffic and traffic safety). It was decided to sum up the outcomes and work progress of the OSJD-ERA Contact Group in the form of an Aide-Mémoire.