Brussels, 28/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Contrary to expectations, the members of the transport committee of the European Parliament did not support the idea of unbundling between the infrastructure managers and railway operators proposed by Debora Serracchiani (S&D, Italy) (EUROPE 10299). Unbundling, which was proposed as part of preparations for the report on the revision of the first railway package, the draft of which was adopted by the European Commission in September last year, would be one of the vital conditions (along with the independence of the regulatory authorities or the multi-annual financing plans for infrastructure) to ensure competition on the rail market and fair treatment for all operators, the rapporteur argues.
Furthermore, the Parliament defended the same opinion in the resolution of June 2010 on the third railway package, speaking out against the problems of independence of the infrastructure managers (EUROPE 10262). On Tuesday 25 January, during an exchange of views on the revision of the package, the vast majority of MEPs preferred to stress the need for a better implementation of European legislation and the independence of the regulatory bodies. “Separation is not decisive. What is decisive is rules which are implemented”, said Michael Cramer, on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group. Although he is in favour of separation, Cramer observed that a number of states have brought in separation without this having guaranteed “market access to all”. Belgian EPP member Mathieu Grosch said that accounting separation and traceability of revenue (Ed: currently being proposed by the European Commission) are sufficient conditions to guarantee market transparency. For access to services, this must be discussed: where the infrastructure has no capacity, a proportion of the services could be privatised, he said. Roberts Zile (ECR, Latvia) argued that experience has shown that there was “no real influence on the part of the independent operators on the reality of the opening-up of the markets”. Spain's Ramon Tremosa i Balcells (ALDE) pleaded in favour of reinforcing the competencies of the European Railway Agency (ERA), or of creating a specific agency for railways.
Serracchiani is to present her draft report in March. The EP's vote in committee is scheduled for May and the plenary vote will probably take place in July. (A.By./transl.fl)