At its plenary session on Wednesday 7 February, the European Parliament approved, by 636 votes to 3 with 2 abstentions, the decision authorising the French Republic to negotiate, sign and conclude an international agreement on the Cross-Channel Tunnel, using the simplified procedure.
In March 2023, to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Channel Fixed Link, particularly in view of Brexit, France requested authorisation to negotiate and conclude an international agreement with the United Kingdom on safety and interoperability requirements on this link. The international agreement would also partly transpose the technical aspects of the Fourth Railway Package for the part of the Channel Fixed Link under French jurisdiction.
It must also ensure that safety and interoperability requirements are consistent with the part of the Channel Fixed Link under UK jurisdiction.
In addition, the text would empower France to amend the agreement, in accordance with a mechanism provided for therein, in order to adapt it to future changes in EU law.
Read the text: https://aeur.eu/f/aqt (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)