Brussels, 30/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - In an opinion adopted on 25 July, the Commission confirms its approval of all amendments put forward by the Parliament on the common position relating to the regulation on public passenger transport by road and rail (see EUROPE 9425). We recall that the Parliament has lowered the ceilings beyond which SMEs can benefit from public service contracts without having to answer a call for tenders. The Parliament has thus allowed such contracts to be attributed to companies that only have 23 vehicles and for direct allocations to amount to an average annual value of the contract estimated at below €2 million (i.e. provision of annual transport service of 600,000 km). The Parliament has also authorised complete sub-contracting for passenger services if the public service market also covers the conception, establishment and operation of these services. (aby)