The Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has put a compromise proposal on the subject of bicycle spaces on trains on the table as part of the ongoing inter-institutional negotiations ('trilogues') on the revision of Regulation (1371/2007) on rail passengers' rights and obligations, according to a document consulted by EUROPE on Wednesday 26 February.
In this document, Zagreb suggests an approach very similar to the agreement reached in the EU Council ('general approach') with regard to the rules defining the conditions of carriage of bicycles.
In concrete terms, according to the proposed compromise, railway undertakings would have to ensure that each train be equipped with clearly marked bicycle spaces.
However, while Parliament wants the bicycle zone to have a minimum of eight spaces, Zagreb suggests that the appropriate number of spaces could be defined in plans drawn up by the railway undertakings.
In the absence of such plans, the compromise stipulates that each train should have a minimum number of places between 1 and 4 (the Presidency thus leaves it to the negotiators to define the exact minimum number of places: 1, 2, 3 or 4 spaces).
Furthermore, as regards the conditions for limiting a passenger's right to take their bicycle on board a train, Zagreb proposes to simply maintain the general approach adopted by the Member States. It provides that railway companies may prohibit a passenger from travelling with their bicycle, not only for operational or safety reasons such as capacity limits at peak times, but also because of the weight and dimensions of the bicycle.
The railways could then be tempted to abuse this provision, and increase the number of bans on carrying bicycles.
Finally, the Croatian compromise proposal suggests that the obligation to provide bicycle spaces should apply when railway undertakings launch procurement procedures for new rolling stock, starting four years after the date of entry into force of the Regulation.
In its position adopted at first reading (see EUROPE 12138/7), Parliament, for its part, proposes that this obligation should apply not when railway undertakings 'place orders' but directly to all new or renovated passenger trains, no later than two years, instead of four, after the date of entry into force of the Regulation.
The timeframe is therefore very different, as orders for new rolling stock can go on for a decade.
Although the Presidency's compromise proposal is much more in line with the EU Council's position than that of the European Parliament's, the three largest political groups in Parliament (EPP, S&D and Renew Europe) are said to welcome it quite favourably.
The next trilogue on rail passengers' rights and obligations is scheduled for 18 March. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)