IRSC Lisbon 2026: UIC speaks on international cooperation and innovation

UIC played a prominent role at the 2026 International Railway Safety Conference (IRSC) in Lisbon, contributing several technical presentations and joint projects that showcased the railway sector's commitment to improving safety, resilience and operational excellence worldwide. The conference provided an opportunity to demonstrate the concrete results obtained through the work of the UIC Safety Platform and its international network of railway experts. Throughout the event, UIC experts and partners presented initiatives covering safety culture, cyber resilience, risk management, wayside monitoring technologies, artificial intelligence, and the development of safety management systems for future railway operations. These contributions illustrate how international cooperation continues to speed up innovation and harmonisation across the railway sector. Safety culture: improving with the help of peer reviews One of the key UIC contributions was the presentation by Virginie Papillault, UIC Human Factors and Safety Culture Manager, entitled “Safety culture in the European railway sector: key lessons from peer reviews (2022-2026)”. Drawing on several recent peer reviews conducted across European railway organisations, the presentation highlighted how these structured assessments help railway companies to strengthen their safety culture, share best practices, and foster continuous improvement. The initiative has become a flagship activity of the UIC Safety Platform and a recognised tool for organisational learning across the sector. Integrating cybersecurity into railway safety management Francisco Cabrera, UIC Deputy Head of Operations & Safety, presented “An innovative approach to incorporating cyber resilience into the railway sector”. The presentation showcased the outcomes of the RERA Cyber project, which explores practical ways to integrate cybersecurity into traditional railway safety management systems. As railways become increasingly digitalised, the project demonstrates how to manage cyber risks using established safety management principles, reinforcing system resilience and supporting a more integrated approach to risk management. New UIC standards for wayside monitoring systems Another major contribution was provided by José Manuel Cabral who presented ongoing UIC work on several monitoring systems, developed with SENER Mobility. The projects address two critical technologies for condition-based maintenance and operational safety: Wheel Impact Load Detectors (WILD) and Hot Axle Box Detectors (HABD). The work is currently being translated into two new UIC International Railway Solutions (IRS), which will provide harmonised guidance to railway undertakings and infrastructure managers worldwide. Towards a harmonised application of the Common Safety Method on risk assessment UIC also presented progress on the HARMO-COSMERA project through a second intervention by Francisco Cabrera, entitled “Harmonised Common Safety Method for Risk Assessment”. The initiative aims to harmonise the application of the European Common Safety Method (CSM) risk assessment process, addressing differences in interpretation and implementation across organisations. By encouraging greater consistency, the project seeks to improve efficiency, transparency, and mutual recognition within the railway safety framework worldwide. Portugal's future high-speed network: ensuring safety from the outset A particularly forward-looking contribution came from Filipe Gomes, Railway Systems & Safety Manager at AVAN, who presented “Building a solid SMS for Portugal's first high-speed rail line”. The presentation demonstrated how AVAN, the concessionaire of the Lisbon-Porto high-speed line, is developing its Safety Management System with UIC nearly five years before the start of operations. Adopting a fully holistic approach, the project integrates technical, operational, organisational, and human factors considerations from the earliest stages of the programme, laying…