Brussels, 12/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Council and European Parliament confirmed their differences on the rate of rail liberalisation, at the first conciliation session on the "rail package", in Brussels on Wednesday. A second conciliation meeting will be held on 22 November.
Following bitter discussions, the Council managed, in 1999, to reach a "common position" on the package that provides for the opening a trans-European network of rail freight to competition. Three directives set out the conditions for the granting of licences for access to the network and clarify the relationship between bodies managing the infrastructures and service providers, and a fourth directive organises the harmonisation of the infrastructures and procedures to ensure "interoperability" between national railways throughout the network..
Whereas the Council limited itself to a liberalisation of freight on one precise network, the European Parliament called for the EU to set itself as goal the liberalisation of all rail transport in 2010, including for passengers, by adopting the Georg Jarzembovski report, on second reading last July, on the amendment to Directive 91/440 devoted to the development of the railways. MEPs, moreover, reject the exemptions granted to Luxembourg, Ireland and Greece.
At the conciliation meeting, the two parties noted their differences on these two aspects. "The points of view on the key-issues have crystallized, but we nevertheless hope we can reach agreement by December", commented the European Commissioner for Transport Loyola de Palacio, on Thursday, when speaking before the EP's Transport Committee. "To secure a compromise between Member States, the Commission agreed to a stage-by-stage opening of rail transport. It's a first step", she remarked.
The Commission has announced that, in 2001, it would re-submit proposals on quality, safety and fair competition between the private and public sector, in rail transport. "I admire your courage, as it has taken 25 years to submit the current rail package", remarked Brian Simpson, Labour MEP.