The legal acts of the 1st and 2nd railway packages constitute a coherent set of EU legislation which extensively reform market access rules, and enhance the technical and safety related regulatory framework in view of integrating the European rail service market. In August 2001 the Commission engaged a consortium to carry out a study on the implementation of Directive 96/48/EC and the progress made towards high speed interoperability (known as the 'Graband' study). It is now necessary to build upon the findings of the Graband study, and to determine the progress made in both high speed and conventional interoperability since 2001 and also the progress made in the transposition of the safety directive. In December 2006 the Commission charged a grouping of international consulting and engineering firm DHV, with headquarters in the Netherlands, and Kema Rail Transport Certification, also based in the Netherlands, with a study consisting of three parts: 1. Identify the national transposition measures in place within each Member State for directives 2004/49/EC, and directives 2001/16/EC and 96/48/EC as amended by 2004/50/ECI. Additionally, the transposition measures of 6 countries, chosen in a dialogue between the Commission and the grouping, were evaluated. 2. Determine the progress being made on both high speed and conventional rail interoperability. The assessment shall identify any key differences and problems associated with the transposition of the directives and the implementation and progress of interoperability, and in particular consider any problems or issues associated with the separation of railway operations from the infrastructure. 3. Review and describe the different models in place across the Member States for accident investigation bodies and national safety authorities, their comparative benefits and disbenefits (or rather: disadvantages), and evaluate their set up with regards to the provisions of directive 2004/49/EC. In terms of geographical scope, a total of 27 countries are involved: EU27, minus Malta and Cyprus (because they have no railways), plus Switzerland and Norway.