Brussels, 10/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Rail freight and bus and coach passenger rights will be the main points to be debated by EU transport ministers meeting in Council in Luxembourg on 11 June. Council is expected to reach a political agreement on a draft regulation on a European rail network for competitive freight and to authorise the Commission to open negotiations with Georgia on a comprehensive air transport agreement (see EUROPE 9909). Ministers are also expected to adopt conclusions approving the Green Paper on the European transport network (TEN-T) and consider the progress report submitted by the Czech Presidency of the Council on the draft regulation establishing structures for the management of the European satellite radio-navigation programmes (EGNOS and Galileo) and the draft directive establishing the framework for the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS).
Rail network for freight. Several delegations agree that ministers could very well reach a political agreement, despite differences which continue to exist over this draft regulation to re-organise existing rail transport so as to ensure the competitiveness and efficiency of goods transport (thereby reversing the current trend towards promoting passenger transport). On the basis on a compromise proposal drafted by the Presidency, delegations are expected to overcome their differences and bring their positions much closer together, particularly on the criteria for setting up rail corridors, finding a balance between those which, like France, want a genuine freight network and those, such as Germany, Poland, Belgium and others, which fear that such a network would affect passenger transport. Unlike the Commission position, which is expected not to close any avenues on this issue, the compromise proposal removes the temporary criteria for setting up the corridors (one year after the regulation comes into force) and provides for setting up initial freight corridors according to the pre-determined list of principal routes. Member states not included in these lists are likely to be involved in the setting up of at least one of the corridors. There would be two possible exemptions from involvement: firstly, when no interest has been expressed in being involved in the corridor and, secondly, when the railway gauge of the member state concerned is different from that of the main EU transport network. A number of delegations (Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden, along with the Commission) are maintaining their reservations on such criteria for setting up the corridors, or, in the case of Germany, challenge the number of corridors passing through their country, or, indeed, like Hungary, question the timescale for setting up such corridors. Member states are also expected to reach agreement on how to allocate slots (capacity) to trains carrying goods, which, under the terms of the regulation, would could benefit from priority rules, and the possible allocation of priority slots to other than rail companies (a possibility suggested by the Commission but rejected by the Presidency).
Bus and coach passenger rights. Ministers will hold a policy debate on the proposal brought forward by the Commission in December of last year to increase the rights of bus and coach passengers and ensure equal treatment for all passengers irrespective of the form of transport used. Delegations are also expected to determine the scope of the proposal, taking account of the specific features of bus and coach transport (cheap and often very busy). The debate is expected, in the first instance, to establish the scope of the text by deciding on the fate of local transport services. Several options will be considered and ministers will decide whether to: - restrict the scope to regular long-distance national and international services; - retain the scope proposed by the Commission (regular passenger transport services, with the possibility of excluding urban, suburban and regional transport which is covered by public service contracts) with a few exemptions being introduced; - or not restrict the scope but exempting one or more forms of transport. Among other points to be resolved on this matter, on which the European Parliament voted in April (see EUROPE 9889), are payment of advances in the event of death or injury to passengers and the rights of passengers with reduced mobility. Over lunch, ministers will return to their discussion of the financing of trans-European transport networks. (A.By./transl.rt)