Each vehicle, before it is being used on the network, shall have an entity in charge of maintenance assigned to it and this entity shall be registered in the vehicle register. The entity in charge of maintenance shall ensure that the vehicles for the maintenance of which it is in charge are in a safe state of running. To that end the entity in charge of maintenance shall establish a maintenance system composed of the following functions:

a) a management function to supervise and coordinate the maintenance functions referred to in points b) to č) and to ensure the safe state of vehicles in the railway system;

b) a maintenance development function responsible to manage the maintenance documentation, including the configuration management, based on design and operational data as well as on performance and return on experience;

c) a fleet-maintenance management function to manage the vehicle’s removal for maintenance and its return to operation after maintenance;

č) a maintenance delivery function to deliver the required technical maintenance of the vehicle or parts of it, including the release to service documentation.

The entity in charge of maintenance shall carry out the management function itself, but may outsource the maintenance functions referred to in points b) to č), or parts thereof, to other contracting parties.

The entity in charge of maintenance, or the entity or organisation concerned of one or more of a particular function of the maintenance system, shall fulfil the requirements laid down in the rules refereed to the maintenance of rail vehicles (national legislation) and in the rules refereed to a system of certification of entities in charge of the maintenance of vehicles (European legislation).

When all the prescribed requirements have been met, the certification body shall issue an entity in charge of maintenance certificate (ECM certificate) or a certificate for outsourced maintenance functions.

Certification of entities in charge of maintenance shall be valid for a maximum period of five years. The certified entity in charge of maintenance shall inform the certification body of any changes that might have an impact on the validity of its certification without delay.

Certificates of entities in charge of maintenance issued in another Member State of the European Union are also valid in the Republic of Slovenia.