In a written answer to a parliamentary question by MEPs Dolors Montserrat and Borja Giménez Larraz (both PPE), Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, stated that responsibility for assessing the Rodalies suburban rail network in Catalonia lies with Spain's national safety authority, the Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Ferroviaria (AESF). The answer, dated 28 April 2026, follows a question submitted on 27 January 2026 highlighting recurrent incidents, service interruptions, and a fatal accident on the network, which serves hundreds of thousands of daily users.
The Commissioner outlined that under EU Railway Safety Directive 2016/798, the AESF must ensure that infrastructure manager Adif complies with maintenance and safety obligations. If the AESF finds non-compliance, it can restrict or revoke Adif's safety authorisation. The Commission's role is limited: it may request the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to gather evidence on the application of EU law, and then consider further steps under the directive.
The answer contains no concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines. It merely restates existing legal frameworks and the division of competences between national and EU bodies. The policy orientation is one of deference to national authorities, with the Commission positioning itself as a backstop rather than an active enforcer.
Expected institutional follow-up: The Commission has not signalled any immediate action. It will likely await a formal request from ERA or a complaint from the AESF before intervening. The answer suggests that, for now, the ball remains in Spain's court.
Cleavage: National sovereignty vs. EU oversight — the Commission resists direct intervention, leaving safety enforcement to the Spanish state, despite MEPs' calls for EU guarantees. This impacts passengers (who face service disruptions), Adif (which must satisfy AESF scrutiny), the Spanish government (under pressure to improve infrastructure), and the Commission (which risks being seen as passive on a high-profile safety issue).