Organisation

The Security Platform

Objectives

The UIC Security Platform was set up by the UIC Executive Board on 7 June 2006 and restructured by the UIC Executive Board on 20 May 2008 as the single UIC structure empowered to develop and formulate analyses and policy positions on behalf of the rail sector in matters relating to the security of persons, property and installations.

This decision stems from the recognition that the rail sector should be speaking with one voice on matters that are directly relevant to its activities but also lie within the sphere of competence of national authorities against a background set by the European and international institutions.

The platform can draw on the results of all existing outside studies, and it deploys its activities in collaboration with representative bodies that contribute to the shaping of railway policy, such as the CER at European level.

Tasks of the Platform

The platform is a single structure with a global reach. As such, its activities must reflect not only the global dimension of some security-related issues but also regional specificities on which the groups of experts can decide to focus special attention.

The tasks of the platform are to:

Defend the common interests of UIC members in the security field vis-à-vis European and international institutions, in collaboration with representative railway bodies that contribute to shaping railway policy, such as CER or EIM at European level ;
Promote the exchange of information and experiences between the Security Directors of UIC members ;
Propose common interest projects or activities at global or regional level in line as dictated by members’ requirements or external events.

Membership of the Platform

Membership of the Security Platform is open to all UIC active, associate and affiliate members.

The Chairman of the Platform shall determine the list of participants in the various Platform bodies as a function of requests received.

Animation of the platform

STEERING COMMITTEE:

Chairman:

SNCF- Xavier ROCHE (from July 2024 to June 2026)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Manoj YADAVA (from August 2023 to June 2024)}
- RPF, Indian railways - Sanjay CHANDER (from July 2022 to July 2023)
- PKP S.A.- Piotr KURCZ (from July 2020 to June 2022)
- Via Rail Canada - Marc BEAULIEU (from July 2018 to June 2020)
- DB AG - Gerd NEUBECK (from July 2016 to June 2018)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Mr Rajiva Ranjan Verma (from April 2015 to July 2016)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Krishna CHAUDHARY (from June 2014 to February 2015)
- ZSSK - Lubomir HRADISKY (from July 2012 to June 2014)
- ONCF - Moha KHADDOUR (from June 2010 to June 2012)}

Vice-Chairman:

Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Sarvapriya MAYANK (from July 2024 to June 2026)
- SNCF- Xavier ROCHE (from July 2022 to June 2024)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Sanjay CHANDER (from October 2021 to June 2022)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Rajesh CHANDRA (from July 2021 to September 2021)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Arun KUMAR (from July 2020 to June 2021)
- PKP S.A.- Piotr KURCZ (from July 2018 to June 2020)
- Via Rail Canada - Marc BEAULIEU (from July 2016 to June 2018)
- DB AG - Gerd NEUBECK (from June 2014 to May 2016)
- Railway Protection Force, Indian railways - Pradeep Kumar MEHTA (from July 2012 to June 2014)
- ZSSK - Lubomir HRADISKY (from June 2010 to June 2012)}

Secretary: UIC Security Department

Members:

At least 6 security representatives of the UIC regions,
3 representatives from the rail business areas (to ensure the necessary interaction between security policy and company policy),
Representative(s) of UIC Headquarters,
Representatives of partner organisations in the field of security: CER, EIM, RAILPOL
Chairmen of global working parties (permanent and theme-based),
Permanent guests: UITP,
Guests according the agenda: for example
- Representatives of the European Commission (TREN, JLS, JRC, FRONTEX),
- Representatives of UNECE, OSCE, ITF (ex CEMT),
- Chairmen of working groups/projects.

Background:

7 June 2006: UIC Executive Board creates the Security Platform at its meeting in Montreal.
April 2007: UIC Security Mission created in 2003 becomes a Security Competence Centre with a global perspective as part of the development of the new UIC.
May 2008: Nomination by the COMEX of M. Tadeusz Kaczmarek, Director of Security at PKP, as Chairman of the UIC security platform and Mr Moha Khaddour, General Inspector of safety at the Moroccan railways, ONCF, as Vice-Chairman.

Since 2008, given its global dimension, one of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Security Platform is at any one time a European and the other a non-European.

Working groups

3 Permanent groups were launched following the Security Forum in Gdansk in October 2007, as follows:

2 Theme-based groups:

Crisis Management (created in 2023)
Sabotage/Intrusion/Attack (created in 2018 to replace the WG on Metal theft)

Regional Activities

If the regional members so wish, specific groups of experts may be set up for each of the six UIC regions: Europe, Africa, Middle-East, Asia, North America, and South America.

Already in the case of Europe, the COLPOFER Group, which currently holds the status of a UIC special group, will operate as the Group of Experts. Visit COLPOFER website: http://www.colpofer.org.

In the other regions, networks of security experts are being set up.

The Security Department

With the setting up of a new organisation at the UIC headquarters in 2009, the Security Competence Centre became the security division part of the "fundamental values" Direction beside sustainable development, research, safety and expertise development. In December 2024, the security division becomes the Security Department.

As part of UIC Headquarters

The Security Department shall ensure the institutional representation of UIC on bodies active in the security field.

It may develop its own expertise or research activities, or participate in responses to tender calls at European or national level. It shall work in close synergy with UIC activities in the passenger, freight and infrastructure sector.

In the context of the Platform

The Security Department shall oversee the general running of the Platform and provide the secretariat for the Steering Committee. It shall convene the meetings and may be called upon for assistance by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Steering Committee.

It shall ensure the continuity of security-related activities undertaken between the meetings of the Steering Committee.

It shall participate in the Platform’s various working parties, help them coordinate their activities and manage the relevant budgets.

It shall contribute to events or conferences to which UIC is invited and wishes to participate, and may represent the Security Platform with the agreement of the Platform Chairman or Vice-Chairman.

Dissemination of information

In liaison with the UIC Communications Direction, it shall oversee the dissemination of results or information between UIC members or externally as appropriate, depending on the nature of the topics concerned.

It shall circulate as much information as possible on security-related activities and the UIC Security Platform by regularly updating the “Security” pages of:

the UIC website, for information able to be disseminated with no particular restrictions,
the UIC Extranet (with user name and password) for information necessitating a degree of discretion and confidentiality between addressees,
the UIC security Hub which is available at https://railsecurityhub.org/

Furthermore, it will conclude its work establishing a network of correspondents including the regional groups of experts but with an extended remit.