EN 15085-2 Certification: What Manufacturers Need to Know

A welded joint failing on a kitchen shelf is annoying. A welded joint failing on a bogie frame travelling at 300 km/h is a disaster. That single difference explains why railway welding is held to one of the strictest certification regimes in industry — and why EN 15085 exists. If your company welds railway vehicles or their components for the European market, EN 15085-2 certification isn’t optional. Here’s what you need to know.

What is EN 15085?

EN 15085 is the European standard series covering the welding of railway vehicles and components. It’s published in five parts: Part 1 covers the general scope, Part 2 sets the requirements for the welding manufacturer and the certification process, Part 3 deals with design requirements, Part 4 with production requirements, and Part 5 with inspection, testing, and documentation.

Part 2 is the one that decides whether your business is allowed to weld railway components at all. It’s the certification gateway, which is why manufacturers focus on it so closely.

The current edition

The standard in force is EN 15085-2:2020 (effective from 2021), which replaced the older 2007 version and has since been updated by amendments. The 2020 revision reworked how manufacturers are classified, strengthened the expectations for welding coordination, and introduced activity codes that let a certificate reflect exactly which welding activities a manufacturer is approved for. If your knowledge of EN 15085 is based on the old edition, it’s worth refreshing.

Certification Levels (CL): finding where you fit

Manufacturers are certified at one of four certification levels, based on the safety relevance of the components they weld:

• CL1 — for railway vehicles and weld-on parts with high safety relevance. This is the most demanding level and effectively covers the levels below it.
• CL2 — for components with medium safety relevance.
• CL3 — for components with low safety relevance.
• CL4 — for businesses that do not weld but design, purchase, install, or operate railway vehicles and components.

These levels align with the welding quality framework of ISO 3834: the higher, safety-critical levels call for the comprehensive requirements of ISO 3834-2, while lower levels map to the standard and elementary tiers. The level you need is driven by the weld performance classes (CP A through CP D, defined in EN 15085-3) of the joints you produce.

What certification actually demands

Earning and keeping an EN 15085-2 certificate means proving you have a complete, controlled welding operation. In practice, that includes:

• A welding quality system conforming to the appropriate level of ISO 3834.
• A Responsible Welding Coordinator (RWC) with the competence required under EN ISO 14731 — the 2020 edition placed real emphasis on coordinators’ technical knowledge.
• Qualified welders and operators, certified to EN ISO 9606 (or equivalent) for the relevant processes, materials, and thickness ranges.
• Qualified welding procedures (WPS supported by WPQR).
• Qualified NDT personnel to carry out the required inspections.
• Proper documentation, traceability, and inspection records.

Certification is granted by a recognised certification body following an on-site audit, and certified manufacturers are entered into the official ECWRV register. The certificate is issued for a defined period and maintained through periodic surveillance audits — it’s an ongoing commitment, not a one-time tick-box.

Why it’s worth the effort

Without EN 15085 certification, you simply can’t supply welded safety-relevant components to European rail. With it, you unlock access to one of the most demanding and rewarding manufacturing markets in the world, and you signal to every customer that your welds meet the highest bar for safety.

PRVÁ ZVÁRAČSKÁ, a. s. supports manufacturers on the path to EN 15085 compliance — from quality systems and welding coordination to procedure and personnel qualification. If railway work is on your horizon, getting the certification right is the foundation everything else is built on.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is EN 15085-2?
It’s Part 2 of the EN 15085 series, setting the requirements and certification process for manufacturers who weld railway vehicles and components.

2. What are the CL certification levels?
CL1 (high safety relevance), CL2 (medium), CL3 (low), and CL4 (for designers and others who don’t perform welding). The level depends on the safety relevance and weld performance class of your components.

3. How does EN 15085 relate to ISO 3834?
EN 15085 certification builds on ISO 3834. The higher certification levels require the comprehensive quality requirements of ISO 3834-2, with lower levels mapping to the standard and elementary tiers.

4. Does EN 15085 require qualified welders and coordinators?
Yes. You need welders qualified to EN ISO 9606, qualified welding procedures, and a Responsible Welding Coordinator competent under EN ISO 14731, along with qualified NDT personnel.

5. How is the certificate maintained?
It’s issued by a recognised certification body after an audit, registered in the ECWRV register, and kept valid through periodic surveillance audits.