On Tuesday 9 October, MEPs from the European Parliament's transport committee adopted the draft report on the revision of Regulation 1371/2007 on rail passengers' rights and obligations, in line with the compromises reached by the negotiators (see EUROPE 12094).
The voting session began in a rather cool atmosphere. Renaud Muselier (EPP, France) and Michael Cramer (Greens/EFA, Germany) criticised the dossier’s rapporteur, Bogusław Liberadzki (S&D, Poland), prior to the vote, for tabling alternative compromise amendments late although the rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs had already agreed on the key points.
Liberadzki then attacked the European Parliament administration, which he felt was guilty of guiding MEPs' choices. This is not the first time that the Polish MEP has been strongly criticised: he was criticised for a similar attitude in June when the vote was postponed (see EUROPE 12044).
The alternative compromise amendments tabled by Liberadzki and supported by the ECR related in particular to the scope or conditions of compensation for passengers for delay or cancellation of a train. The shadow rapporteurs were afraid that they would not get a majority of votes because of these amendments.
None of the alternative compromise amendments were voted on by the transport committee MEPs and the initial compromises reached between the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs were therefore approved. The draft report was finally adopted by a large majority (39 votes in favour, 2 against, 6 abstentions).
Once this report has been endorsed by MEPs in plenary session, the Parliament will have to wait for the EU Council to adopt its negotiating position before inter-institutional negotiations ('trilogues') can begin. In fact, a general orientation should not, unless surprisingly, be found before the end of the mandate of the current Parliament and the trilogues should only start under the next mandate, with new teams in Parliament. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)