Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/476 of 11 February 2025 laying down rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards a request from the Netherlands not to apply certain requirements concerning the external sound pressure level of audible alert signals set out in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 (notified under document C(2025) 789)

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/476 11.3.2025 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/476 of 11 February 2025 laying down rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards a request from the Netherlands not to apply certain requirements concerning the external sound pressure level of audible alert signals set out in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 (notified under document C(2025) 789) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union(1), and in particular Article 7(4) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 18 April 2024, the Netherlands submitted to the Commission, in accordance with Article 7(4) of Directive

(EU) 2016/797, a request not to apply point 4.2.2.3.2.(12) of the Annex to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014(2) with respect to the requirement on external sound pressure level of audible alert signals for external doors in the project of upgrading certain vehicles, which form part of the VIRM4 train fleet.

(2) Point 4.2.2.3.2.(12) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 specifies the requirements related to the passenger door audible signals for exterior doors, i.e. the signals for door opening, door closing and door finding).

However, it follows from Appendix F to that Regulation that the application of the requirements to provide door opening and closing signals is only mandatory when the door control system is renewed or upgraded.

(3) The project referred to in the request concerns upgrading certain vehicles of the VIRM4 train fleet which consists of a type of interregional, electric multiple unit double-decker trains operated in the Netherlands. The scope of the project does not include the renewal or upgrade of the door control system and the application of the requirement set out in point 4.2.2.3.2.(12) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 is therefore not mandatory.

(4) Nonetheless, to improve the accessibility of the VIRM4 train fleet, the Netherlands intends to apply audible alert signals for the passenger doors that are identical to the signals already implemented in the rest of the fleet series, namely the VIRMm1 and VIRMm2 train fleets. Those audible alert signals will not fully comply with the technical specifications for the external sound pressure level set out in Appendix G of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014, which are mandatory when the audible alert signals are used.

(5) According to the documents submitted by the Netherlands, complying with the required external sound pressure level for the VIRM4 fleet would entail an additional cost of approximately EUR 1 500 000including maintenance and minimum spare parts inventory.

(6) In addition, full compliance with the specification for the door opening and closing signal, as defined in Appendix G of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014, for the VIRM4 fleet would result in non-conformity with the VIRMm1 and VIRMm2 fleets. This would entail additional maintenance costs. At the same time, the cost associated with fully complying with the specification, as defined in Appendix G of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014, for the entire fleet (VIRMm1, VIRMm2/3 and VIRM4) would amount to an additional cost of EUR 4 500 000, including minimum spare parts inventory, non-availability of the rolling stock for the period of retrofitting and maintenance.

(1) OJ L 138, 26.5.2016, p. 44, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/797/oj.

(2) Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 of 18 November 2014 on the technical specifications for interoperability relating to accessibility of the Union’s rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (OJ L 356, 12.12.2014, p. 110,

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/1300/oj).

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/oj 1/8EN OJ L, 11.3.2025

(7) The user groups consulted by the Netherlands consider the equipping of the VIRM4 fleet with audible alert signals to be an improvement, although the external sound pressure levels would not reach the levels specified in Appendix G of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014.

(8) As an alternative, the Netherlands proposes to implement non-adaptive devices for the audible alert signals providing an external sound pressure level of 65dB LA (+ 5dB/– 4dB), which is slightly lower than the 70 dB eq,T (+ 6dB/– 0dB) set out in Appendix G of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014.

(9) In case of a future project including the renewal or upgrade of the door control system, point 4.2.2.3.2. (12) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 will apply. This notably includes the level of the external sound pressure level set out in Appendix G of that Regulation.

(10) In addition, the non-application will be strictly limited to the individual VIRM4 fleet vehicles covered by the Netherlands’ request. To avoid the need for a new decision, the Netherlands should be allowed to change the precise identification numbers of those vehicles by informing the Commission thereof. If such a change is made, it should be notified to the Commission without delay.

(11) Based on the justification for the request provided by the Netherlands and the alternative provisions proposed, the conditions set out in Article 7(1), point (c) and Article 7(4) of Directive (EU) 2016/797 can be considered as fulfilled for the VIRM4 fleet upgrade project. The request from the Netherlands should therefore be accepted.

(12) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee referred to in Article 51(1) of Directive (EU) 2016/797,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The request of the Netherlands for non-application of point 4.2.2.3.2.(12) of the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 with respect to the required external sound pressure level of audible alert signals for external doors is accepted for the vehicles listed in the Annex to this Decision.

The Netherlands shall notify the Commission without delay of any changes to the identifiers of the vehicles listed in the Annex.

Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Done at Brussels, 11 February 2025.

For the Commission Apostolos TZITZIKOSTAS Member of the Commission 2/8 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/ojEN OJ L, 11.3.2025 ANNEX Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9547 948449212596 VIRM 4-IV 9547 948449212604 VIRM 4-IV 9547 948449251479 VIRM 4-IV 9547 948449151281 VIRM 4-IV 9548 948449212612 VIRM 4-IV 9548 948449212620 VIRM 4-IV 9548 948449251487 VIRM 4-IV 9548 948449151299 VIRM 4-IV 9549 948449212638 VIRM 4-IV 9549 948449212646 VIRM 4-IV 9549 948449251495 VIRM 4-IV 9549 948449151307 VIRM 4-IV 9550 948449212653 VIRM 4-IV 9550 948449212661 VIRM 4-IV 9550 948449251503 VIRM 4-IV 9550 948449151315 VIRM 4-IV 9551 948449212679 VIRM 4-IV 9551 948449212687 VIRM 4-IV 9551 948449251511 VIRM 4-IV 9551 948449151323 VIRM 4-IV 9552 948449212695 VIRM 4-IV 9552 948449212703 VIRM 4-IV 9552 948449251529 VIRM 4-IV 9552 948449151331 VIRM 4-IV 9553 948449212711 VIRM 4-IV 9553 948449212729 VIRM 4-IV 9553 948449251537 VIRM 4-IV 9553 948449151349 VIRM 4-IV 9554 948449212737 VIRM 4-IV 9554 948449212745 VIRM 4-IV 9554 948449251545 VIRM 4-IV 9554 948449151356 VIRM 4-IV 9555 948449212752 VIRM 4-IV 9555 948449212760 VIRM 4-IV 9555 948449251552 VIRM 4-IV 9555 948449151364

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/oj 3/8EN OJ L, 11.3.2025 Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9556 948449212778 VIRM 4-IV 9556 948449212786 VIRM 4-IV 9556 948449251560 VIRM 4-IV 9556 948449151372 VIRM 4-IV 9557 948449212794 VIRM 4-IV 9557 948449212802 VIRM 4-IV 9557 948449251578 VIRM 4-IV 9557 948449151380 VIRM 4-IV 9558 948449212810 VIRM 4-IV 9558 948449212828 VIRM 4-IV 9558 948449251586 VIRM 4-IV 9558 948449151398 VIRM 4-IV 9559 948449212836 VIRM 4-IV 9559 948449212844 VIRM 4-IV 9559 948449251594 VIRM 4-IV 9559 948449151406 VIRM 4-IV 9560 948449212851 VIRM 4-IV 9560 948449212869 VIRM 4-IV 9560 948449251602 VIRM 4-IV 9560 948449151414 VIRM 4-IV 9561 948449212877 VIRM 4-IV 9561 948449212885 VIRM 4-IV 9561 948449251610 VIRM 4-IV 9561 948449151422 VIRM 4-IV 9562 948449212893 VIRM 4-IV 9562 948449212901 VIRM 4-IV 9562 948449251628 VIRM 4-IV 9562 948449151430 VIRM 4-IV 9563 948449212919 VIRM 4-IV 9563 948449212927 VIRM 4-IV 9563 948449251636 VIRM 4-IV 9563 948449151448 VIRM 4-IV 9564 948449212935 VIRM 4-IV 9564 948449212943 VIRM 4-IV 9564 948449251644 VIRM 4-IV 9564 948449151455 VIRM 4-IV 9565 948449212950 4/8 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/ojEN OJ L, 11.3.2025 Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9565 948449212968 VIRM 4-IV 9565 948449251651 VIRM 4-IV 9565 948449151463 VIRM 4-IV 9566 948449212976 VIRM 4-IV 9566 948449212984 VIRM 4-IV 9566 948449251669 VIRM 4-IV 9566 948449151471 VIRM 4-IV 9567 948449212992 VIRM 4-IV 9567 948449213008 VIRM 4-IV 9567 948449251677 VIRM 4-IV 9567 948449151489 VIRM 4-IV 9568 948449213016 VIRM 4-IV 9568 948449213024 VIRM 4-IV 9568 948449251685 VIRM 4-IV 9568 948449151497 VIRM 4-IV 9569 948449213032 VIRM 4-IV 9569 948449213040 VIRM 4-IV 9569 948449251693 VIRM 4-IV 9569 948449151505 VIRM 4-IV 9570 948449213057 VIRM 4-IV 9570 948449213065 VIRM 4-IV 9570 948449251701 VIRM 4-IV 9570 948449151513 VIRM 4-IV 9571 948449213073 VIRM 4-IV 9571 948449213081 VIRM 4-IV 9571 948449251719 VIRM 4-IV 9571 948449151521 VIRM 4-IV 9572 948449213099 VIRM 4-IV 9572 948449213107 VIRM 4-IV 9572 948449251727 VIRM 4-IV 9572 948449151539 VIRM 4-IV 9573 948449213115 VIRM 4-IV 9573 948449213123 VIRM 4-IV 9573 948449251735 VIRM 4-IV 9573 948449151547 VIRM 4-IV 9574 948449213131 VIRM 4-IV 9574 948449213149

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/oj 5/8EN OJ L, 11.3.2025 Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9574 948449251743 VIRM 4-IV 9574 948449151554 VIRM 4-IV 9575 948449213156 VIRM 4-IV 9575 948449213164 VIRM 4-IV 9575 948449251750 VIRM 4-IV 9575 948449151562 VIRM 4-IV 9576 948449213172 VIRM 4-IV 9576 948449213180 VIRM 4-IV 9576 948449251768 VIRM 4-IV 9576 948449151570 VIRM 4-IV 9577 948449213198 VIRM 4-IV 9577 948449213206 VIRM 4-IV 9577 948449251776 VIRM 4-IV 9577 948449151588 VIRM 4-IV 9578 948449213222 VIRM 4-IV 9578 948449251784 VIRM 4-IV 9578 948449151596 VIRM 4-IV 9578 948449213610 VIRM 4-IV 9579 948449213230 VIRM 4-IV 9579 948449213248 VIRM 4-IV 9579 948449251792 VIRM 4-IV 9579 948449151604 VIRM 4-IV 9580 948449213255 VIRM 4-IV 9580 948449213263 VIRM 4-IV 9580 948449251800 VIRM 4-IV 9580 948449151612 VIRM 4-IV 9581 948449213271 VIRM 4-IV 9581 948449213289 VIRM 4-IV 9581 948449251818 VIRM 4-IV 9581 948449151620 VIRM 4-IV 9582 948449213214 VIRM 4-IV 9582 948449213305 VIRM 4-IV 9582 948449251826 VIRM 4-IV 9582 948449151638 VIRM 4-IV 9582 948449213297 VIRM 4-IV 9583 948449213313 VIRM 4-IV 9583 948449213321 6/8 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/ojEN OJ L, 11.3.2025 Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9583 948449251834 VIRM 4-IV 9583 948449151646 VIRM 4-IV 9584 948449213339 VIRM 4-IV 9584 948449213347 VIRM 4-IV 9584 948449251842 VIRM 4-IV 9584 948449151653 VIRM 4-IV 9585 948449213354 VIRM 4-IV 9585 948449213362 VIRM 4-IV 9585 948449251859 VIRM 4-IV 9585 948449151661 VIRM 4-IV 9586 948449213370 VIRM 4-IV 9586 948449213388 VIRM 4-IV 9586 948449251867 VIRM 4-IV 9586 948449151679 VIRM 4-IV 9587 948449213396 VIRM 4-IV 9587 948449213404 VIRM 4-IV 9587 948449251875 VIRM 4-IV 9587 948449151687 VIRM 4-IV 9588 948449213412 VIRM 4-IV 9588 948449213420 VIRM 4-IV 9588 948449251883 VIRM 4-IV 9588 948449151695 VIRM 4-IV 9589 948449213438 VIRM 4-IV 9589 948449213446 VIRM 4-IV 9589 948449251891 VIRM 4-IV 9589 948449151703 VIRM 4-IV 9590 948449213453 VIRM 4-IV 9590 948449213461 VIRM 4-IV 9590 948449251909 VIRM 4-IV 9590 948449151711 VIRM 4-IV 9591 948449213479 VIRM 4-IV 9591 948449213487 VIRM 4-IV 9591 948449251917 VIRM 4-IV 9591 948449151729 VIRM 4-IV 9592 948449213495 VIRM 4-IV 9592 948449213503 VIRM 4-IV 9592 948449251925

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/oj 7/8EN OJ L, 11.3.2025 Vehicle type Trainset Number Vehicle Number (EVN) VIRM 4-IV 9592 948449151737 VIRM 4-IV 9593 948449213511 VIRM 4-IV 9593 948449213529 VIRM 4-IV 9593 948449251933 VIRM 4-IV 9593 948449151745 VIRM 4-IV 9594 948449213537 VIRM 4-IV 9594 948449213545 VIRM 4-IV 9594 948449251941 VIRM 4-IV 9594 948449151752 VIRM 4-IV 9595 948449213552 VIRM 4-IV 9595 948449213560 VIRM 4-IV 9595 948449251958 VIRM 4-IV 9595 948449151760 VIRM 4-IV 9596 948449213578 VIRM 4-IV 9596 948449213586 VIRM 4-IV 9596 948449251966 VIRM 4-IV 9596 948449151778 VIRM 4-IV 9597 948449213594 VIRM 4-IV 9597 948449213602 VIRM 4-IV 9597 948449251974 VIRM 4-IV 9597 948449151786 8/8 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/476/oj