ERA-GUI-100.pdf - Europa

Guide for the application of the Art 14 (a) of the Safety Directive and Commission Regulation (EU) No 445/2011
on a system of certification of entities in charge of maintenance for freight wagons – VERSION 1.0
6 WHERE DOES THE ECM CERTIFICATION APPLY?
6.1 What is the European Economic Area (EEA)?
The Agreement creating the European Economic Area (EEA) entered into force on 1 January 1994.
It allows the EEA EFTA States (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) to participate in the Internal
Market on the basis of their application of Internal Market relevant acquis. All new relevant
Community legislation is dynamically incorporated into the Agreement and thus applies throughout
the EEA, ensuring the homogeneity of the internal market.
The EEA Agreement is concerned principally with the four fundamental pillars of the Internal
Market, “the four freedoms", i.e. freedom of movement of goods, persons, services and capital. But
also “flanking policies” such as social policy, consumer protection, and environment policy may be
covered. The EEA Agreement does not cover agriculture and fisheries.
The EEA Agreement allows for EEA EFTA participation in Internal Market relevant Community
programmes and agencies, albeit with no right to vote. The EEA-EFTA states also make financial
contributions towards the reduction of economic and social disparities in the EEA.
The Agreement covers most of the substance of the EU's relations with the EEA EFTA States. The
updating of the Agreement through the incorporation of new relevant Community legislation
generally runs smoothly and thousands of legal acts have been extended to the EEA to date
(Resource: http://eeas.europa.eu/eea/ )
Further information will be found in http://eeas.europa.euand http://www.efta.int/
6.2 What is a third country?
Is any country that is not a Member State of the European Union.
6.3 What is OTIF?
The Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) was set up on
1 May 1985. The Organisation’s basis under international law is the Convention of 9 May 1980
(COTIF). The predecessor of OTIF was the Central Office for International Carriage by Rail, which
was set up in 1893.
Until the signature of the Protocol of 3 June 1999 (Vilnius Protocol) for the modification of COTIF,
the objective of this Governmental Organisation was principally to develop the uniform systems
of law which apply to the carriage of passengers and freight in international through traffic by rail.
These systems of law have been in existence for decades and are known as the CIV and CIM
Uniform Rules.
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