Brussels, 16/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 16 November, MEPs drew a line under their nine months of stormy debate about privatising the railway industry when they adopted in first reading a report by Debora Serracchiani (S&D, Italy) with a comfortable majority (526 to 80 with 36 abstentions). The MEPs have taken a timid line, sending the ball back into the European Commission's court for it to come up with new proposals early next year, as EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, who attended the debate in plenary on Monday 14 November, was happy to do, but said that the EP's position could lead to a watering down of the Commission's initial proposals. He added that “the status quo or, even worse, backward steps, were not an option” (one member state lagging behind). French Greens/EFA MEP Pascal Canfin said that the ambiguous situation suggested that doubts remained and next year would see railways as a battleground in Europe.
For more than a decade, member states have been supposed to have been removing obstacles to a “single railway area” in Europe but the three EU directives to this effect have only been applied in part, leading to the railways losing steam in recent years. With the clear aim of shifting traffic from road to rail, the Commission wants to get the ball rolling for more competition in the industry and is rewriting the three directives to end national rail monopolies in order to improve rail services for freight and passengers. At present, the European Parliament has not committed itself to full opening of the market, preferring to open a new legislative process, handing the issue back to the Commission and postponing everything until next year.
Partial de-coupling. The EP is not recommending full de-coupling of rail and transport, the issue that has taken up most time in the EP's transport committee in recent months. Rapporteur Serracchiani therefore decided to take a cautious line and only ask rail companies to hive off accounts for companies that are part of the same holding company as a preliminary stage because the EP expects the Commission to unveil a proposal next year for full de-coupling of track and rail services in national rail monopolies.
Controversy about Article 6.4. Full separation of accounts should prevent finances leaving companies, and right until the last moment an amendment to Article 6, which was tabled by transport gurus on the EPP and S&D, threatened to weaken the rapporteur's position by allowing capital transfers in the form of reimbursements (see EUROPE 10492 and 10485). The amendment was not voted through in the end, but an oral amendment suggested during the vote by shadow rapporteur Ramon Tremosa i Balcells (ALDE, Spain) ended the Article 6.4 issue by noting that public funds would not be allowed to be used in any reimbursements by infrastructure managers to the body in control of the railways.
No European regulator. The report voted through by the EP foresees the introduction of an independent rail regulator in each member state, increasing the powers of existing regulator where necessary to allow penalties to be issued. The regulator will be required to respond to complaints
within a month and must coordinate their work at EU level, possibly making use of the European Commission to facilitate the process (drawing up a database, for example). The European Commission is expected to unveil draft legislation to this effect, but the idea is not yet ready for action because the EP has given the Commission two years (after publication of the legislation in the Official Journal) to come up with a proposal.
No minimum service requirements. The trade unions are somewhat relieved that the report makes no mention of minimum service requirements in the event of a strike. Although such requirements were demanded by the Liberals and Conservatives, Serracchiani's draft report made no mention of it. MEPs want to speed up interoperability of the railways throughout the EU, which will require harmonisation of both rolling stock and safety and signalling systems. In the same spirit, the EP wants a single ticketing and timetabling system to be set up (as for airlines) so passengers can book a seat irrespective of how many different rail companies and borders are involved. The Council of Ministers is already moving ahead with its drafting of a common position, which they are likely to agree upon early next year, ahead of the EP beginning a second reading - making 2012 the year of the railways. (MD/transl.fl)