Brussels, 03/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 2 October, the European transport ministers reached a “general approach” on the draft directive concerning the safety of the Community's railways. Council supports the general principle of the mutual recognition of locomotives, but modified three elements of the initial proposal of the European Commission. Before taking position on the modified text, the Commission chose to wait for the first-reading vote of the European Parliament, which will take place in November.
The changes made by the Transport Council aim mainly to transfer all provisions relating to the authorisation of railway vehicles included in the proposed “railway safety” directive on the proposed directive tackling the interoperability of Community railways (see EUROPE 9372). The first proposal focuses on the new or modernised elements of the Community railway system, while the second deals with wagons already in service. This, the Council believes, will help to bring together in one single text all provisions relating to authorisation for locomotives to operate within the EU.
Secondly, the Council is to clarify the role and responsibilities of those concerned in the railway operations of the sector, by bringing in two new definitions in line with the new legislation of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (see EUROPE 9512). In order to allow a railway company to determine who is responsible for all wagons connected to its trains, the Council is bringing in the obligation to appoint a “keeper” for each wagon. Furthermore, this keeper will be registered as such in a national vehicle register.
The third modification will allow a maintenance certification system to be brought in. The certificate issued will be valid throughout the Community and will guarantee that the certified entity fulfils the maintenance requirements of this directive, for all vehicles for which it is responsible.
The general approach was adopted unanimously by the members of the Council. France and the United Kingdom, however, indicated that they were to keep a parliamentary reserve in place for all of this text. Before giving the green light to the text, the European Commission prefers to wait for the opinion of the European Parliament, which will be tabled next month.
During the general debate, the vice-president of the European Commission with responsibility for transport, Jacques Barrot, stressed that he could see problems ahead in the negotiations between institutions, following the vote by the Parliamentary committee on transport, in early September. “A few amendments may pose problems”, particularly those pertaining to the maintenance certificate system: “we would have preferred it to be voluntary”, whereas the members of this committee would like the issuing of these certificates to be obligatory, the European commissioner explained. (aby)