ECM

The Entity in Charge of Maintenance or ECM is the subject responsible for the maintenance of a railway vehicle according to the Directive 2016/798/EU.

Directive 798 establishes that, before use on the railway network, each vehicle is assigned an ECM with the task of ensuring that the vehicles of its relevance are able to circulate in safe conditions, through the implementation of a defined maintenance system, which is applied in such a way as to guarantee the following aspects:

that the vehicles concerned are maintained in accordance with the relevant maintenance dossier and the requirements in force, including the maintenance rules and the applicable TSI provisions;
the appropriate CSMs for the assessment of safety risks are implemented, to the extent of their competence;
contractors implement appropriate risk control measures and appropriate CSMs for monitoring activities;
the traceability of the maintenance activities carried out.

Directive 798 provides for the obligation, for all ECMs, to obtain certification of the Maintenance System applied to the vehicles for which they are responsible, which certifies compliance with the requirements specified in reg. (EU) 2019/779.

The achievement and maintenance of such certification certifies the ability of the ECM:

to comply with the requirements of Regulation 779 (to be consistently applied);
to ensure the safe circulation of the vehicles which maintenance the ECM is responsible for.

The certification scheme for ECMs envisaged by EU Reg. 779 provides for an initial certification audit and surveillance audits every year. The ECM certification in accordance with the regulation is valid for 5 years from the time of its issue.

Italcertifer has been providing the certification service for ECMs since the introduction of the scheme in 2013.

Over the years, the know-how relating to this certification scheme has been further consolidated and specialized to support the customer in the implementation and maintenance of a maintenance system capable of achieving the safety targets set by the legislation.

Italcertifer provides both the services for certification as a complete ECM and for the maintenance functions provided for by the regulation.

Italcertifer is registered in the ERADIS Database as an ISO 17065 accredited certification body for the certification of ECMs in accordance with Reg. (EU) 2019/779.