Brussels, 11/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The trilogue on the second rail package, which was held on Wednesday in Strasbourg, should augur well for a good outcome to the dossier during the second meeting of the conciliation committee scheduled for 16 March in Brussels.
The European Parliament and the EU Council have still to find common ground on two essential points: (1) opening up to competition of national and international passenger transport - wanted from 1 January 2008 by the European Parliament but rejected by the Council; (2) the composition of the administrative board of the European Rail Agency that the Parliament wants to restrict to six Council representatives although the Council wants one representative per Member States.
The Council, however, has presented compromises to Parliament allowing for a source familiar with the issue to stress the optimism felt by the parliamentary delegation of the conciliation committee about the possibility of reaching an agreement on 16 March (the procedure must normally end on 24 March).
During the Transport Council of Tuesday last, the Irish Presidency had announced that the adoption by the European Commission of the third rail package which comprises a proposal of directive aimed at liberalised international passenger transport from 1 January 20109, including cabotage, (see EUROPE of 4 March, p.9, on the Commission proposal), was going to "help and conclude conciliation on the second package".
Loyola de Palacio, Transport Commissioner, for her part, had said during the public debate on this package held during the Transport Council, that a "whereas" referring to the opening of passenger transport" in the directive on the development of Community rail transport (Jarzembowski report) would be "something quite reasonable for the European Parliament" and "would allow an agreement to be reached".