Brussels, 28/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Hungarian Presidency would like to reach a common position at the Council before the end of its mandate on the revision of the first railway package (see article). It also hopes for a second-reading agreement with the Parliament on the draft revised Eurovignette directive.
Speaking before the transport committee of the European Parliament on Tuesday 25 January, Pál Völner warned the MEPs against digging their heels in too hard over the Eurovignette dossier. The Hungarian minister of state for infrastructure hopes that the EP will not modify the political agreement reached at the Council in October last year (EUROPE 10237). The decision was taken at the Council by a “very small majority (…). If one member state changes its mind, we will have a blocking minority”, which leaves the Presidency with very little room for manoeuvre, the Hungarian minister stressed. “Better a little agreement than nothing at all”, said Völner, proposing the compromise of including a revision clause in the compromise text currently on the table. Any regulation can be revised on the basis of actual experience, which may in this case allow us to “reach a higher level of compromise”, said the president-in-exercise of the Transport Council. As for the European Parliament, a solution of this kind could be considered, but only if the revision clause is accompanied by a raft of binding conditions. Amongst other things, the rapporteur would like to accompany this revision with the inclusion of all external costs in the internalisation (including accidents), a reassessment of the nature (binding or voluntary) of the directive and changes to the system of recovering costs (removing toll systems based on duration). All of these provisions should be preceded by an impact assessment.
Talks are proving to be just as complex on the revision of the first railway package (draft directive aiming to establish the European railway area). Völner acknowledged that there are many differences of opinion between the member states. Hungary hopes to be able to lead the countries of the EU to an agreement at the Transport Council of 16 June, but “it is still possible that the Polish Presidency will inherit this dossier”, Völner added. (A.By./transl.fl)