European transport ministers have called for the rapid integration of measures to mitigate the effects of a major incident such as the seven week closure last August of the Rhein Valley main line between Basel and Karlsruhe following a tunnel collapse at Rastatt. A Combined Declaration includes a statement that ministers are prepared to introduce supporting legislation if necessary. Only about two thirds of expected rail transit traffic passed through Switzerland during the hiatus, with about 4,000 freight trains being diverted and 1,500 being cancelled. Among measures proposed are mutual recognition of the language requirements for locomotive drivers and acceptance procedures for locomotives, in order to improve interoperability and create conditions for staff to work across borders.
Railway Gazette International, July 2018. p.23.