Brussels, 19/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 19 February, a source close to the railway industry indicated that, as the period for submitting amendments is drawing to a close, the Community of European Railways (CER) is hoping that a significant number of MEPs will support amendments introducing greater flexibility in the report by Saïd El Khadraoui (S&D, Belgium) on railway governance. There are now just a few days to go until the vote on the 4th railway package (Wednesday 26 February) during the European Parliament's plenary session.
The organisation MOFAIR, which represents private railway operators in Germany, has fired a warning shot against the CER lobbying and called on MEPs to stick to the text that the transport committee adopted at the end of December.
Rapporteur's amendments. Late on Wednesday afternoon, the list of amendments submitted on the report by Saïd El Khadraoui had still not been finished. The amendments, however, are expected to focus on the independence of infrastructure managers in vertically integrated companies (Article 7b).
The rapporteur's amendments are expected to provide clarification, within the spirit of the text adopted by the Parliamentary committee, particularly with regard to the use of dividends from public investment (for reinvesting in the railways) and the monitoring body. A source close to the railway industry indicated that this would be likely to ensure his party's support.
CER's expectations. The CER would like the amendments to go in the opposite direction. The CER wants greater flexibility within the railway holding model, particularly with regard to members of the monitoring body's board of directors, sharing of staff and overseeing certain functions of infrastructure management (maintenance, investment and planning). A source indicated that, “if the holding model is retained, power of oversight is required at system level between the infrastructure manager and the train operating companies”.
MOFAIR denounces lobby. These goals were criticised by MOFAIR in a letter sent to MEPs on 18 February, which warned MEPs of the CER's intentions. Private operators in Germany - independent, therefore, of the Deutsche Bahn, which is a member of the CER - are calling on MEPs to reject the CER-backed amendments. MOFAIR considers that such amendments could “undermine the compromise obtained and open up the door for integrated railway groups to exploit infrastructure operators for their own ends”. (MD/transl.fl)