On Monday 12 October, the European Parliament's Transport Committee adopted without difficulty its position on the European Commission's proposal to make 2021 the European Year of Rail (see EUROPE 12439/7).
The report by Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Greens/EFA, Germany) and the 15 compromise amendments to it (see EUROPE 12579/13) received very broad support: 45 votes in favour, none against, 2 abstentions.
Ms Deparnay-Grunenberg welcomed the outcome of the vote, saying she saw the European Year as an opportunity to discuss how the EU could “achieve a Renaissance of Rail”.
“We need a modal shift to rail to fulfil the climate goals!”, she added.
The rapporteur for the Renew Europe group, Dominique Riquet (France), who initiated the proposal to introduce a rail connectivity index (see EUROPE 12579/13), welcomed the opportunity to “shine a spotlight” on this, the “transport mode of the future in economic, environmental and social terms”.
He also declared that this European initiative would mark the “starting point for renewed reflection on the railways”.
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) also reacted to this vote in parliamentary committee and welcomed the “important endorsement” for the railways “for the benefit of climate and society”.
The 47 MEPs also unanimously adopted the decision to start inter-institutional negotiations (trilogue) on this dossier.
As the EU Council is also ready to negotiate (see EUROPE 12513/37), the co-legislators should therefore now work towards agreeing on a joint text, which is expected to be voted on in plenary next month. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)