Brussels, 23/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 23 March, the European Parliament transport committee resumed its second reading discussions on the draft regulation setting up a competitive European rail freight network, reconsidering to a large extent its first reading stance (see EUROPE 9889). MEPs will hold their first discussion of the amendments made to the report drafted by Marian-Jean Marinescu (EPP, Romania) and backed by all the groups, on 12 April. An informal dialogue meeting has, however, been scheduled for 27 April, to try to reach second reading agreement with the Council whose common position, adopted in February, significantly amended the draft which seeks to make rail freight transport in Europe more competitive. Four main points (one-stop shop, authorised candidates, priority rules and corridor governance) will also have to be resolved if there is to be an agreement between member states which want to keep the status quo and the Parliament (which has the support of the Commission) which wants to bring in fairer competition rules in the rail market. The Marinescu report supports the idea of a one-stop shop (to facilitate the allocation of slots to freight carriers) with decision-making powers, while the Council would prefer decisions relating to capacity allocation to be a matter for infrastructure managers. The rapporteur also re-inserted a provision, removed by the Council, authorising candidates other than rail companies (loaders, freight carriers, etc) to ask for slots for freight transport. This measure, which, under European legislation, can already be adopted on a voluntary basis, has only been transposed by a small number of member states, including Germany. France, Spain, Italy and Poland prefer not to transpose it. (A.By./transl.rt)