The Joint Sector Group (JSG) was set up in September 2009, initially to provide solutions for the Rail Freight Sector business in the frame of the ERA Task Force on Freight Wagon/axle maintenance after the Viareggio Rail Freight accident (« Viareggio Task Force »).

The Joint Sector Group is acknowledged as working body by the EC, the ERA and the European NSAs. The JSG output is mainly reported to ERA/NSA working groups. To face the challenge of upcoming Railway liberalisation issues and to play a strong role in the Sector’s technical and partially procedural self-regulation, the Joint Sector approach has in the meantime been extended to other issues where clear unified sectoral positions were considered as necessary (as an intermediate solution for ECM certifications).