Brussels, 08/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - After the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the Association française du transport routier international (AFTRI) described the European Parliament's vote on the proposal for a regulation on coach and bus passengers' rights as “unacceptable” (see EUROPE 9797). An AFTRI press release published on Monday 4 May reads: “the current draft text is based on air or rail transport regulations and shows the lack of knowledge on the specific features of the sector”. It goes on to say that all transport for non-urban local regular passenger services should be exempted from the scope of the draft regulation. We would point out that the European Commission presented two draft regulations in December 2008 on harmonising European passengers' rights in the maritime transport sector and in the coach and bus sector, thus completing the corresponding legislation already applicable in the rail and air sectors. MEPs took a stance on both texts at first reading in April this year, doing away with the possibility initially foreseen to exclude regional transport services from the scope of the text (EUROPE 9890). AFTRI also encourages the Council and future members of the EP to undertake an impact assessment study on the cost of implementing the rules proposed and to re-examine the key proposals in the draft regulation, i.e. compensation amounts, the responsibility regime in the event of delays or cancellations, advance payments, assistance to persons with reduced mobility, and the training of drivers. (A.By./transl.jl)