Strasbourg, 12/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - It is not easy for rail passengers to ensure their rights are respected. Recent research by the European Commission, unveiled on 10 September, shows that EU Regulation 1371/2007 laying down rail passenger rights it only applied patchily by the member states. This had to be improved, particularly when the fourth rail package liberalising domestic rail passenger and freight transport comes into force.
The member states should have introduced the regulation in 2009, but 61% of long-distance routes do not apply it completely and this rises to 83% of regional and commuter lines. Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas explained: “Every year, almost 8 billion passengers use the train to go to work, for business trips or leisure. We need to make sure that all of them, notwithstanding the type and length of rail journey they undertake, are protected by European Passenger Rights legislation”.
The regulation allows member states to opt for transitional periods and exemptions from major provisions for domestic rail, urban, suburban and regional rail and services or journeys where a significant part of the service, including at least one scheduled station stop, is operated outside the EU. The Commission says that member states seem to have abused their opt-out powers. The rules covering areas for which no exemptions are possible have been properly transposed, however, leading to a significant improvement in rail passenger rights in Europe. (MD/transl.fl)