Segnalazioni dalla Mobility and Transport newsletter

European Parliament enquires about first railway package

Vice-President Siim Kallas answered this week an oral question tabled by the European Parliament on the implementation of the 1st railway package. The European Parliament wanted to know why the majority of Member States had failed to implement the package up to now, the follow-up by the Commission on this and the lessons to be drawn.

VP Kallas explained that the economic crisis exacerbated existing structural problems of the railways but he recognised also that there were still barriers to remove for a functioning market as regards new entrants. The Commission tried to tackle the problem via Infringement procedures and clarification and changes proposed to current rules via the announced recast of the package. The main problems recognised consisted of insufficient implementation of the track access charging directive, the lack of independence of infrastructure managers and railway operators and the failure to ensure sufficient independence, resources and powers to the regulatory body. The promotion of technical harmonisation of rail in conjunction with ERA was also important for the achievement of a genuine internal market for rail. VP Kallas concluded that the first railway package had been good but its implementation insufficient, that interoperability will be the heart of the railways reform, Member State participation in regulatory agencies needs to be addressed in the recast and that innovative ways need to be explored in order to ensure financing for the removal of bottlenecks.

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