Brussels, 26/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has begun a series of infringement proceedings on transport against seven countries, with Portugal and the United Kingdom each being involved in two cases.
Driving licences. Finland and Portugal are required to incorporate Directive 2009/112/EC and Directive 2009/113/EC, which relate to minimum requirements on eyesight, diabetes and epilepsy into their national legislations. Denmark, Lithuania, the United Kingdom and Portugal have been sent reasoned opinions calling on them to inform the commission within two months of steps they have taken to come into line with the arrangements set out in Directive 2006/126/EC, or risk being referred to the Court of Justice of the EU. This directive introduces new driving licence categories and a harmonised period of validity of the driving licence document.
Passenger vessels. The United Kingdom will also be required to inform the European Commission within two months of what it is doing to transpose European legislation on safety and security standards for passenger ships. The UK will have to transpose the latest measures agreed upon in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Rail. Bulgaria and the Netherlands are the subjects of rail legislation infringement proceedings Bulgaria has been referred to the European Court of Justice for having failed to implement correctly different parts of the legislation known as the first railway package relating to charges which railway undertakings have to pay for access to the infrastructure. The Netherlands will receive a reasoned opinion for its failure to fully transpose Directive 2008/57/EC establishing interoperability in the sector. (MD/transl.rt)