EUROPE has a copy of the second draft compromise on the reform of the Regulation (1371/2007) on rail passengers’ rights and obligations, dated 6 June, in which the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union proposes only minor changes compared to the first text tabled at the end of April and described in our pages (see EUROPE 12242/5).
This new draft compromise carries the date of last week's Transport Council meeting, during which EU Transport Ministers approved a progress report presented by Bucharest (see EUROPE 12270/7, 12258/4). However, the new draft compromise was not discussed by the national delegations on that occasion.
Compared to the previous draft compromise, no substantial changes have been made. A number of clarifications are recommended regarding derogations that are currently in force in some Member States.
It should be noted that, with regard to the transport of bicycles, the previous text required railway companies to prepare “plans” on this matter no later than two years after the new text enters into force. It is now suggested that Member States would be able to request railway companies to do this.
In addition, Bucharest has reformulated some of its previous suggestions and some of the points considered by the European Commission in its proposal (see EUROPE 11872/6), particularly with regard to the circumstances in which passengers would be re-routed in cases where a train is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes, and assistance would be provided to passengers, and how passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility would be dealt with.
In the event of an incident, the new draft compromise also suggests that a passenger should be able to submit a complaint within two months, rather than within thirty days (as mentioned in the previous draft compromise) following the incident.
This text was discussed by the national experts on the EU Council's working party on ‘land transport’ on Wednesday 12 June.
It will now be up to the incoming Finnish Council Presidency of the Council of the EU to try to reach a political agreement ('general approach') on these issues. As far as the European Parliament is concerned, MEPs adopted their negotiating position at first reading last November (see EUROPE 12138/7). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)