Brussels, 21/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Transport Council endorsed, to applause, the agreement on rail liberalisation concluded with the European Parliament in the context of conciliation procedure, on 22 November. The agreement, which must still be formally adopted by the EP during its plenary sitting end January, provides for rail freight services on the transeuropean network to be opened up to competition in 2003, and on the network as a whole from 2008. The aim of the three directives that make up this "rail package" is to "develop international goods traffic on the basis of an ambitious transeuropean rail freight network, comprising the main international freight routes and covering the whole of Europe. The right to access to this network will be guaranteed to the rail companies that hold a license. It will be accompanied by harmonised tariff conditions and the definition of high safety standards", commented Council President Jean-Claude Gayssot.