CHAPTER VIII

TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Reports and information
Article 53
1
By 16 June 2018, the Commission shall report on the progress made in preparing for the Agency's enhanced role under this Directive. Additionally, every three years and for the first time three years after the end of the transitional period provided for by Article 54, the Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the progress made towards achieving interoperability of the Union rail system and the functioning of the Agency in this context. That report shall also include an evaluation of the implementation and use of the registers under Chapter VII and an analysis of the cases set out in Article 7 and of the application of Chapter V, assessing in particular the functioning of the cooperation agreements concluded between the Agency and national safety authorities. For the purposes of the first report, after the end of the transitional period the Commission shall carry out extensive consultations with the relevant stakeholders and shall establish a programme to allow for the assessment of progress. The Commission shall, if appropriate in the light of the above analysis, propose legislative measures including measures for the future role of the Agency in enhancing interoperability.
2
The Agency shall develop and periodically update a tool capable of providing, at the request of a Member State, the European Parliament or of the Commission, an overview of the interoperability level of the Union rail system. That tool shall use the information included in the registers provided for in Chapter VII.