Hongaars voorzitterschap benadrukt actieprogramma voor veilig vervoer per spoor (en)

Budapest, 27 May 2011

Hungarian Presidency’s Railway Action Program

Commitment to reinforcing EU citizens’ sense of security extended to railways

Within its internal policy program as holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary pays special attention to reinforcing the sense of security of people living in the EU.

Designed to increase the security of traffic and transport in Europe, the Rails (24-Blue), Action was organised on 18–21 May 2011. This was the first time for Member States of the railway network Railpol to implement a joint operation, at the invitation of the EU Presidency. Railpol members carried out the 24-Blue action on 19 May 2011, as a part of the Rails action coordinated by the Hungarian Presidency.

The invited European law and order, criminal, border guard, customs and other related organisations, performed targeted inspections on international passenger trains and in railway hubs. The aim was to prevent and interrupt legal infringements committed against passengers; and to suppress illegal migration. The joint operation was also meant to suppress metal and non-ferrous metal thefts for the efficient protection of railway infrastructure.

The action gathered 16 countries including Germany, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Finland and Hungary. The action went beyond European borders because, as opposed to previous practices, the US Railroad Police also joined the operation.

The Hungarian EU Presidency set up an international operation centre for the period of the action, inside the International Criminal Cooperation Centre (NEBEK) in Budapest, which provided a continuous exchange of information through international criminal and law and order channels.

INTERPOL made critical information available through its Command and Coordination Center, helping to enhance the effectiveness and success of the operation.

Europol provided strategic reporting in advance of the operation and deployed staff and a mobile office to the International Criminal Cooperation Centre in Budapest, during the 72 hours of the operation, which started on 18 May. This Europol support enabled staff in the participating countries to make live-time checks against Europol intelligence systems, on a 24/7 basis.

As part of the cooperation, Frontex delegated two Austrian guest officers to the Hungarian-Serbian international railway border station, which is a part of the EU’s external borders, and another guest officer to the Záhony Frontex Focus Point, serving at the Hungarian-Ukrainian border (also an external border of the EU). In addition, Romania supported the implementation of the action in Hungary with two border guarding experts.

The guest officers together with the Hungarian organisations performed checks on 44 trains at the Ukrainian section, as well as on 135 at the Serbian. During the border checks, an administrative procedure was initiated in 11 instances of unauthorised border crossing.

The Hungarian police forces involved 3,228 people in the implementation of the action, checking 1,142 trains, 1,106 railway hubs (railway stations, including termini and stops) and 614 business premises for trade in metal and non-ferrous metal. Of the 19,866 people checked, 116 were captured and another 138 were arrested under the relevant law. The operation resulted in the seizure of 17.53 tons of metal and non-ferrous metal worth approximately 1 million forints.

The Rails (24-Blue) international railway action organised within the Hungarian EU Presidency, was implemented in the 17 participating Member States with a total of 16,016 people (exclusive of the USA), checking 5,521 trains, 6,199 railway hubs and 1,014 business premises for trade in metal and non-ferrous metal. Of the 41,383 people checked, 853 were captured under the relevant national laws. The operation resulted in the seizure of 18.05 tons of metal and non-ferrous metal.

By conducting the action and disclosing its outcomes, the Hungarian Presidency wishes to set a precedent for the upcoming Presidencies in an effort to support their work.