Brussels, 10/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 December, the European transport ministers adopted the inter-institutional agreement on the so-called technical pillar of the fourth rail package.
This package is made up of the following three legislative drafts: - the revision of directive 2004/49/EC on railway security; - the revision of directive 2008/57/EC on the interoperability of the rail system within the EU; - the regulation on the European Railways Agency (ERA) replacing regulation 881/2004. The member states reached an informal agreement in June of this year (see EUROPE 11347).
Poland abstained, whilst the United Kingdom voted against the railway security draft. According to the Luxembourg infrastructure Minister, François Bausch, who chaired the Transport Council, the two countries' positions are down to the transfer of competencies to the ERA.
For the British, the problem relates to the delegated acts on the interoperability technical specifications, a diplomatic source explained, whilst Poland is reported to be dissatisfied with the principle of prior authorisation of the European rail traffic management system (ERTMS).
A number of delegations were somewhat reluctant to get behind the agreement, among them Luxembourg, a European source confirmed, particularly regarding the short lead-time for the transfer of competencies. Indeed, the ERA will not even be ready, for instance in terms of personnel.
The European Parliament is to adopt the agreement at its plenary session of January, which will allow the legislative acts to enter into force by May or June 2016, a source explained. The state will have three years to comply, with the option of extending this period by one year, which would mean full transposition at European level in around June 2020. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)