### ‘ person with disabilities ’ and ‘ person with reduced mobility’ means any person who has a permanent or temporary physical , mental , intellectual or sensory impairment which , in interaction with various barriers , may hinder their full and effective use of transport on an equal basis with other passengers or whose mobility when using transport is reduced due to age ; ### ‘ person with disabilities’ and ‘ person with reduced mobility’ means any person who has a permanent or temporary physical , mental , intellectual or sensory impairment which , in interaction with various barriers , may hinder their full and effective use of transport on an equal basis with other passengers or whose mobility when using transport is reduced ;


### for the purposes of point of paragraph 1 , comparable re - routing may be operated by any railway undertaking and may involve the use of transport of a higher class and alternative modes of transport without generating additional costs to the passenger . railway undertakings shall make reasonable efforts to avoid additional connections . the total travel time when using an alternative mode of transport for the part of the journey not completed as planned shall be comparable to the scheduled travel time of the original journey . passengers shall not be downgraded to transport facilities of a lower class unless such facilities are the only re - routing means available . ### for the purposes of point of paragraph 1 , in case of missed connection due to delay or cancellation , of an earlier leg of the passenger’s journey , the passenger shall be allowed to take the next service available in order to reach his / her final planned destination . comparable re - routing may be operated by any railway undertaking and may involve the use of transport of a higher class and alternative modes of transport without generating additional costs to the passenger . railway undertakings shall make reasonable efforts to avoid additional connections . the total travel time when using an alternative mode of transport for the part of the journey not completed as planned shall be comparable to the scheduled travel time of the original journey . passengers shall not be downgraded to transport facilities of a lower class unless such facilities are the only re - routing means available .


### passengers may submit a complaint to any railway undertaking , ticket vendor , railway station or infrastructure manager involved . complaints shall be submitted within six months of the incident that is the subject of the complaint . within one month of receiving the complaint , the addressee shall either give a reasoned reply or , in justified cases , inform the passenger by what date within a period of less than three months from the date of receipt of the complaint a reply can be expected . railway undertakings , ticket vendors , station managers and infrastructure managers shall keep the incident data necessary to assess the complaint for two years and make them available to national enforcement bodies upon request . ### passengers may submit a complaint to any railway undertaking , ticket vendor , railway station or infrastructure manager involved . complaints shall be submitted within six months of the incident that is the subject of the complaint . within one month of receiving the complaint , the addressee shall either give a reasoned reply or , in justified cases , inform the passenger that the passenger will get a reply within a period of less than three months from the date of receipt of the complaint .


### the passenger shall not have any right to compensation if he is informed of a delay before he buys a ticket , or if a delay due to continuation on a different service or re - routing remains below 60 minutes . ### passengers shall not have any right to compensation if they are informed of a delay before buying a ticket – unless the actual delay is more than 45 minutes longer than the delay announced , or if a delay due to continuation on a different service or re - routing remains below 45 minutes .


### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 , and before their implementation , decisions to discontinue services either permanently or temporarily . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services . ### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , and without delay including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 , and in good time before implementation , proposals to discontinue or substantially reduce services either permanently or temporarily , and shall ensure that those proposals are subject to meaningful and proper consultation with stakeholders before any implementation takes place . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services .


### re - routing transport service providers shall pay particular attention to providing persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility with a comparable level of accessibility to the alternative service . ### re - routing transport service providers shall pay particular attention to providing persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility with a comparable level of accessibility to the alternative service . this alternative service may be common to all passengers or it may , upon decision of the carrier , be an individual means of transport adapted to the specific needs of certain persons with disabilities or with reduced mobility .


### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 , and before their implementation , decisions to discontinue services either permanently or temporarily . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services . ### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 and in commission regulation 1300 / 2014 , and before their implementation , decisions to discontinue services . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services .


### the national enforcement bodies shall publish statistics on their activity , including on sanctions applied , every year , at the latest at the end of april of the following calendar year . ### each year the national enforcement bodies shall publish reports with statistics on their websites detailing the number and type of complaints that they have received , and detailing the outcome of their enforcement actions , including the sanctions that they have applied . this shall be done for each year by no later than the first day of april of the succeeding year . in addition , those reports shall be made available on the website of the european union agency for railways .


### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before and during the journey . whenever possible , railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility . ### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before , during and after the journey . railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility .


### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . ### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be easily available to passengers and accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . this information shall be made freely available in writing upon request in the domestic language of the railway undertaking .


### international rail passenger services of which a significant part , including at least one scheduled station stop , is operated outside the union , provided that passengers’ rights are adequately ensured under relevant national law on the territory of the member state granting the exemption . ### international rail passenger services of which a significant part , including at least one scheduled station stop , is operated outside the union .


### in cooperation with infrastructure managers and railway undertakings , station managers should prepare contingency plans to minimise the impact of major disruptions by providing stranded passengers with adequate information and care . ### in cooperation with infrastructure managers and railway undertakings , station managers should prepare and make publicly available contingency plans to minimise the impact of major disruptions by providing stranded passengers with adequate information and care .


### assistance shall be provided on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 48 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ; ### assistance in staffed stations shall be provided on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 48 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ; member states and competent authorities shall ensure that major stations provide the necessary assistance services to reduce the above - mentioned notification period below 48 hours .


### passengers’ rights in the event of cancellation or delay ; ### passengers’ rights and compensation in the event of disruption , such as cancellation or delay ;


### to maintain a high level of consumer protection in rail transport , member states should be required to designate national enforcement bodies to monitor closely and enforce this regulation at national level . those bodies should be able to take a variety of enforcement measures . passengers should be able to complain to those bodies about alleged infringements of the regulation . to ensure the satisfactory handling of such complaints , the bodies should also cooperate with each other . ### to maintain a high level of consumer protection in rail transport , member states should be required to designate national enforcement bodies to monitor closely and enforce this regulation at national level . those bodies should be able to take a variety of enforcement measures , and to provide the option for passengers of binding alternative dispute resolution , in line with directive 2013 / 11 / eu1a . passengers should be able to complain to those bodies about alleged infringements of the regulation , and to use online dispute resolution established under regulation 524 / 2013 / eu1b where agreed . it should also be provided that complaints may be made by organisations representing groups of passengers . to ensure the satisfactory handling of such complaints , the bodies should also cooperate with each other and this regulation should continue to be listed in the annex to the regulation 2017 / 2394 / eu of the european parliament and of the council1c . each year national enforcement bodies shall publish reports with statistics on their websites detailing the number and type of complaints that they have received , and detailing the outcome of their enforcement actions . in addition , those reports shall be made available on the website of the european union agency for railways . __________________ 1a directive 2013 / 11 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 21 may 2013 on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending regulation no 2006 / 2004 and directive 2009 / 22 / ec . 1b regulation 524 / 2013 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 21 may 2013 on online dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending regulation no 2006 / 2004 and directive 2009 / 22 / ec . 1c regulation 2017 / 2394 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 12 december 2017 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws and repealing regulation no 2006 / 2004 .


### in the case of a delay in arrival or departure , passengers shall be kept informed of the situation and of the estimated departure time and estimated arrival time by the railway undertaking or ticket vendor or by the station manager as soon as such information is available . ### in the case of a delay in arrival or departure , passengers shall be kept informed of the situation and of the estimated departure time and estimated arrival time by the railway undertaking , tour operator or ticket vendor or by the station manager as soon as such information is available . station managers , infrastructure managers and railway undertakings provide ticket vendors with information in real time and in the appropriate format .


### assistance shall be provided on condition that the person with disabilities or person with reduced mobility presents him or herself at the designated point at a time stipulated by the railway undertaking or station manager providing such assistance . any time stipulated shall not be more than 60 minutes before the published departure time or the time at which all passengers are asked to check in . if no time is stipulated by which the person with disabilities or person with reduced mobility is required to present him or herself , the person shall present him or herself at the designated point at least 30 minutes before the published departure time or the time at which all passengers are asked to check in . ### assistance shall be provided on condition that the person with disabilities or person with reduced mobility presents him or herself at the designated point at the time at which all passengers are asked to check in .


### –availability of seats in smoking and non - smoking , first and second class as well as couchettes and sleeping carriages ### –availability of seats for all applicable fares in non - smoking , and , where applicable , smoking , first and second class as well as couchettes and sleeping carriages


### in addition to the obligations on railway undertakings pursuant to article 13a of directive 2012 / 34 / eu , the station manager of a railway station handling at least 10 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall ensure that the operations of the station , the railway undertakings and the infrastructure manager are coordinated through a proper contingency plan in order to prepare for the possibility of major disruption and long delays leading to a considerable number of passengers being stranded in the station . the plan shall ensure that stranded passengers are provided with adequate assistance and information , including in accessible formats in accordance with the accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx . upon request , the station manager shall make the plan , and any amendments to it , available to the national enforcement body or to any other body designated by a member state . station managers of railway stations handling fewer than 10 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate station users and to assist and inform stranded passengers in such situations . ### in addition to the obligations on railway undertakings pursuant to article 13a of directive 2012 / 34 / eu , the station manager of a railway station handling at least 5 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall ensure that the operations of the station , the railway undertakings and the infrastructure manager are coordinated through a proper contingency plan in order to prepare for the possibility of major disruption and delays leading to a considerable number of passengers being stranded in the station . the plan shall pay particular attention to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility and shall ensure that stranded passengers are provided with adequate assistance and information , including in accessible formats in accordance with the accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx . the plan shall also include requirements for the accessibility of alert and information systems . upon request , the station manager shall make the plan , and any amendments to it , available to the national enforcement body or to any other body designated by a member state . station managers of railway stations handling fewer than 5 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate station users and to assist and inform stranded passengers in such situations ;


### railway undertakings shall offer the possibility to obtain tickets for the respective service on board the train , unless this is limited or denied on grounds relating to security or antifraud policy or compulsory train reservation or reasonable commercial grounds . ### railway undertakings shall offer the possibility to obtain tickets for the respective service on board the train , unless this is limited or denied on reasonable and justifiable grounds relating to security or antifraud policy or space or seat availability .


### passengers may submit a complaint to any railway undertaking , ticket vendor , railway station or infrastructure manager involved . complaints shall be submitted within six months of the incident that is the subject of the complaint . within one month of receiving the complaint , the addressee shall either give a reasoned reply or , in justified cases , inform the passenger by what date within a period of less than three months from the date of receipt of the complaint a reply can be expected . railway undertakings , ticket vendors , station managers and infrastructure managers shall keep the incident data necessary to assess the complaint for two years and make them available to national enforcement bodies upon request . ### passengers may submit a complaint to any railway undertaking , ticket vendor , railway station or infrastructure manager involved . complaints shall be submitted within six months of the incident that is the subject of the complaint . within one month of receiving the complaint , the addressee shall either give a reasoned reply or , in justified cases , inform the passenger that the passenger will get a reply within a period of less than three months from the date of receipt of the complaint .


### the compensation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be equal to the cost of replacement or repair of the equipment or devices lost or damaged . ### the compensation for loss or damage referred to in paragraph 1 shall be timely executed and equal to the full cost of replacement based on the actual value , or on the full costs of repair , of the wheelchair , equipment , devices lost or damaged , or the loss or injury of the certified assistance dog . the compensation shall also include the cost of temporary replacement in case of repair , when those costs are borne by the passenger .


### where there is no ticket office or accessible ticketing machine in the station of departure , persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility shall be permitted to buy tickets on board the train at no extra cost . ### tickets bought on board the train shall not cost more than the relevant standard fare for the journey concerned with any applicable discounts .


### in the light of the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and in order to give persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for rail travel comparable to those of other citizens , rules for non - discrimination and assistance during their journey should be established . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , whether caused by disability , age or any other factor , have the same right as all other citizens to free movement and to non - discrimination . inter alia , special attention should be given to the provision of information to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility concerning the accessibility of rail services , access conditions of rolling stock and the facilities on board . in order to provide passengers with sensory impairment with the best information on delays , visual and audible systems should be used , as appropriate . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility should be enabled to buy tickets on board a train without extra charges . staff should be adequately trained to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , notably when providing assistance . to ensure equal travel conditions , such persons should be provided with assistance at stations and on board at all times when trains operate and not only at certain times of the day . ### in the light of the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and in order to give persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for rail travel comparable to those of other citizens , rules for non - discrimination and assistance during their journey should be established . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , whether caused by disability , age or any other factor , have the same right as all other citizens to free movement and to non - discrimination . inter alia , special attention should be given to the provision of information to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility concerning the accessibility of rail services , access conditions of rolling stock and the facilities on board . in order to provide passengers with sensory impairment with the best information on delays , visual and audible systems should be used , as appropriate . staff should be adequately trained to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , notably when providing assistance . to ensure equal travel conditions , such persons should be provided , free of charge , with assistance to board and disembark .


### ‘ through - ticket’ means a ticket or tickets representing a single transport contract for successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings ; ### ‘ through - ticket’ means a ticket or tickets , representing one or more transport contracts issued through a single transaction , for a single journey comprising successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings ;


### railway undertakings and station managers shall , with the active involvement of representative organisations of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , establish , or shall have in place , non - discriminatory access rules for the transport of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility including their personal assistants . the rules shall allow the passenger to be accompanied by an assistance dog in accordance with any relevant national rules . ### railway undertakings and station managers shall , with the active involvement of representative organisations of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , establish , or shall have in place , non - discriminatory access rules for the transport of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility including their personal assistants . the rules shall allow the passenger to be accompanied by a service animal in accordance with any relevant national rules , and shall ensure that rail transport for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility is immediate and spontaneous wherever possible .


### railway undertakings and station managers should define , make publicly available , manage and monitor service quality standards for rail passenger services . ### railway undertakings and station managers should define , make publicly available , manage and monitor service quality standards for rail passenger services including those for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility .


### railway undertakings may offer contract conditions more favourable for the passenger than the conditions laid down in this regulation . ### railway undertakings , tour operators or ticket vendors may offer contract conditions more favourable for the passenger than the conditions laid down in this regulation .


### the body shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within two weeks of receiving it . the complaint - handling procedure shall take a maximum of three months . for complex cases , the body may , at its discretion , extend this period to six months . in such a case , it shall inform the passenger of the reasons for the extension and of the expected time needed to conclude the procedure . only cases that involve legal proceedings may take longer than six months . where the body is also an alternative dispute resolution body within the meaning of directive 2013 / 11 / eu , the time limits laid down in that directive shall prevail . ### the body shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within two weeks of receiving it . the complaint - handling procedure shall take a maximum of three months . for complex cases , the body may , at its discretion , extend this period to six months . in such a case , it shall inform the passenger or organisation representing passengers of the reasons for the extension and of the expected time needed to conclude the procedure . only cases that involve legal proceedings may take longer than six months . where the body is also an alternative dispute resolution body within the meaning of directive 2013 / 11 / eu , the time limits laid down in that directive shall prevail and the use of online dispute resolution in accordance with regulation 524 / 2013 / eu1a may be made available with the agreement of all parties involved . _________________ 1a regulation 524 / 2013 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 21 may 2013 on online dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending regulation no 2006 / 2004 and directive2009 / 22 / ec .


### the national enforcement bodies shall closely monitor compliance with this regulation and take the measures necessary to ensure that the rights of passengers are upheld . for this purpose , railway undertakings , station managers and infrastructure managers shall provide the bodies with relevant documents and information at their request . in carrying out their functions , the bodies shall take account of the information submitted to them by the body designated under article 33 to handle complaints , if this is a different body . they may also decide on enforcement actions based on individual complaints transmitted by such a body . ### the national enforcement bodies shall closely monitor compliance with this regulation and take the measures necessary to ensure that the rights of passengers are upheld . for this purpose , railway undertakings , station managers and infrastructure managers shall provide the bodies with relevant documents and information at their request without delay and in any event within one month . in carrying out their functions , the bodies shall take account of the information submitted to them by the body designated under article 33 to handle complaints , if this is a different body . member states shall ensure that national enforcement and complaint handling bodies shall be given sufficient powers and resources for the adequate and effective enforcement of individual complaints from passengers under this regulation .


### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . ### details of the complaint handling procedure shall be easily available to passengers and accessible to persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility . this information shall be made freely available in writing upon request in the domestic language of the railway undertaking .


### accessibility of station and station facilities . ### accessibility of station and station facilities , including step - free access , escalators , elevators and luggage ramps .


### despite considerable progress made in protecting consumers in the union , further improvements in protecting the rights of rail passengers are still to be made . ### despite considerable progress made in protecting consumers in the union , further improvements are still to be made in protecting the rights of rail passengers and ensuring they are compensated for delays , cancellations and any material damage .


### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles on board the train , where appropriate for a reasonable fee . they shall keep their bicycles under supervision during the journey and ensure that no inconvenience or damage is caused to other passengers , mobility equipment , luggage or rail operations . the carriage of bicycles may be refused or restricted for safety or operational reasons , provided that railway undertakings , ticket vendors , tour operators and , where appropriate , station managers inform passengers of the conditions for such a refusal or restriction in accordance with regulation no 454 / 2011 . ### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles , whether assembled or not , on board the train , including on high - speed , long - distance and cross - border trains . that service shall be offered free of charge or in exceptional cases for a reasonable fee . all new or refurbished rolling stock shall include sufficient , well - indicated , dedicated spaces for the carriage of assembled bicycles . the carriage of bicycles may only be refused or restricted for duly justified safety reasons , provided that railway undertakings , ticket vendors , tour operators and , where appropriate , station managers inform passengers , at the latest at the time of the purchase of the ticket , of the conditions for bicycle carriage on all services in accordance with regulation no 454 / 2011 .


### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles on board the train , where appropriate for a reasonable fee . they shall keep their bicycles under supervision during the journey and ensure that no inconvenience or damage is caused to other passengers , mobility equipment , luggage or rail operations . the carriage of bicycles may be refused or restricted for safety or operational reasons , provided that railway undertakings , ticket vendors , tour operators and , where appropriate , station managers inform passengers of the conditions for such a refusal or restriction in accordance with regulation no 454 / 2011 . ### passengers shall be entitled to take bicycles , whether assembled or not , free of charge on board the train , all new or refurbished rolling stock shall include an appropriate designated space for the carriage of assembled bicycles .


### minimum information to be provided to passengers ; ### minimum , accurate , timely and accessible information to be provided to passengers ;


### ‘ ticket vendor’ means any retailer of rail transport services concluding transport contracts and selling tickets on behalf of a railway undertaking or for its own account ; ### ‘ ticket vendor’ means any retailer of rail transport services concluding transport contracts and selling tickets and through - tickets on behalf of one or more railway undertakings or for its own account ;


### without losing the right of transport , a passenger may request compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination stated in the transport contract for which the cost of the ticket has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows : ### without losing the right of transport , a passenger may request compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination stated on the ticket for which the cost has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows :


### assistance shall be provided on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 48 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ; ### assistance shall be provided during times rail services operate on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 24 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ;


### where a passenger receives separate tickets for a single journey comprising successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings , his rights to information , assistance , care and compensation shall be equivalent to those under a through - ticket and cover the whole journey from the departure to the final destination , unless the passenger is explicitly informed otherwise in writing . such information shall in particular state that when the passenger misses a connection , he or she would not be entitled to assistance or compensation based on the total length of the journey . the burden of proof that the information was provided shall lie with the railway undertaking , its agent , tour operator or ticket vendor . ### where passengers receive separate tickets for a single journey comprising successive railway services operated by one or more railway undertakings , their rights to information , assistance , care and compensation shall be equivalent to those under a through - ticket and cover the whole journey from the departure to the final destination .


### in complex cases such as cases involving multiple claims or a number of operators , cross - border travel or accidents on the territory of a member state other than that which granted the undertaking’s licence , in particular where it is unclear which national enforcement body is competent , or where it would facilitate or accelerate the resolution of the complaint , national enforcement bodies shall cooperate to identify a ‘ lead’ body , which shall serve as single point of contact for passengers . all national enforcement bodies involved shall cooperate to facilitate the resolution of the complaint . passengers shall be informed which body is acting as ‘ lead’ body . ### in complex cases such as cases involving multiple claims or a number of operators , cross - border travel or accidents on the territory of a member state other than that which granted the undertaking’s licence , in particular where it is unclear which national enforcement body is competent , or where it would facilitate or accelerate the resolution of the complaint , national enforcement bodies shall cooperate to identify a ‘ lead’ body , which shall serve as single point of contact for passengers . all national enforcement bodies involved shall cooperate to facilitate the resolution of the complaint . passengers shall be informed which body is acting as ‘ lead’ body . in addition , in all cases , national enforcement bodies shall in any event ensure compliance with regulation 2017 / 2394 / eu 1a of the european parliament and of the council . _________________ 1a regulation 2017 / 2394 of the european parliament and of the council of 12 december 2017 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws and repealing regulation no 2006 / 2004 , oj l 345 , 27 . 12 . 2017 .


### in the absence of staff at a station , railway undertakings and station managers shall make all reasonable efforts to enable disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility to have access to travel by rail . ### in the absence of accompanying staff on board a train or staff at a station , railway undertakings and station managers shall make all reasonable efforts to enable persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility to have access to travel by rail .


### railway undertakings and ticket vendors offering transport contracts on behalf of one or more railway undertakings shall provide the passenger , upon request , with at least the information set out in annex ii , part i in relation to the journeys for which a transport contract is offered by the railway undertaking concerned . ticket vendors offering transport contracts on their own account , and tour operators , shall provide this information where available . ### railway undertakings , tour operators and ticket vendors offering transport contracts on their own behalf or on behalf of one or more railway undertakings shall provide the passenger with at least the information set out in annex ii , part i in relation to the journeys for which a transport contract is offered by the railway undertaking concerned .


### in the light of the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and in order to give persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for rail travel comparable to those of other citizens , rules for non - discrimination and assistance during their journey should be established . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , whether caused by disability , age or any other factor , have the same right as all other citizens to free movement and to non - discrimination . inter alia , special attention should be given to the provision of information to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility concerning the accessibility of rail services , access conditions of rolling stock and the facilities on board . in order to provide passengers with sensory impairment with the best information on delays , visual and audible systems should be used , as appropriate . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility should be enabled to buy tickets on board a train without extra charges . staff should be adequately trained to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , notably when providing assistance . to ensure equal travel conditions , such persons should be provided with assistance at stations and on board at all times when trains operate and not only at certain times of the day . ### in the light of the united nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and in order to give persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for rail travel comparable to those of other citizens , rules for non - discrimination and assistance during their journey should be established . persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , whether caused by disability , age or any other factor , have the same right as all other citizens to free movement and to non - discrimination . inter alia , special attention should be given to the provision of information to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility concerning the accessibility of rail services , access conditions of rolling stock and the facilities on board . in order to provide passengers with sensory impairment with the best information on delays , visual and audible systems should be used , as appropriate . staff should be adequately trained to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility , notably when providing assistance . to ensure equal travel conditions , such persons should be provided , free of charge , with assistance to board and disembark .


### railway undertakings , station managers , ticket vendors and tour operators shall cooperate in order to provide assistance to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility in line with articles 20 and 21 in accordance with the following points : ### railway undertakings , station managers , ticket vendors and tour operators shall cooperate in order to provide assistance free of charge to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility in line with articles 20 and 21 in accordance with the following points :


### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before and during the journey . whenever possible , railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility . ### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding those services and related matters both before and during the journey . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility .


### without losing the right of transport , a passenger may request compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination stated in the transport contract for which the cost of the ticket has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows : ### without losing the right of transport for the journey or combined journey a passenger shall be entitled to compensation for delays from the railway undertaking , tour operator or ticket vendor if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination for which the cost of the ticket has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows :


### without losing the right of transport , a passenger may request compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination stated in the transport contract for which the cost of the ticket has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows : ### without losing the right of transport for the journey , a passenger shall be entitled to compensation for delays from the railway undertaking if he or she is facing a delay between the places of departure and destination stated on the ticket and in the transport contract for which the cost of the ticket has not been reimbursed in accordance with article 16 . the minimum compensations for delays shall be as follows :


### in the context of the sale of tickets for the transport of passengers , member states should take all necessary measures to prohibit discrimination on the basis of nationality or residence , regardless whether the passenger concerned is present , permanently or on a temporary basis , in another member state . those measures should cover all covert forms of discrimination which , by the application of other criteria , such as residence , physical or digital location , may have the same effect . in light of the development of online platforms selling passenger transport tickets , member states should pay special attention to ensuring that no discrimination occurs during the process of accessing online interfaces or purchasing tickets . however , transport schemes involving social tariffs should not be automatically precluded , provided that they are proportionate and independent of the nationality of the persons concerned . ### in the context of the sale of tickets for the transport of passengers , member states should take all necessary measures to prohibit discrimination on the basis of nationality or residence , regardless whether the passenger concerned is present , permanently or on a temporary basis , in another member state . those measures should cover all covert forms of discrimination which , by the application of other criteria , such as residence , physical or digital location , may have the same effect . in light of the development of online platforms selling passenger transport tickets , member states should pay special attention to ensuring that no discrimination occurs during the process of accessing online interfaces or purchasing tickets . however , transport schemes involving social tariffs should not be precluded , provided that they are independent of the nationality of the persons concerned .


### member states should lay down penalties applicable to infringements of this regulation and ensure that these penalties are applied . the penalties , which might include the payment of compensation to the person in question , should be effective , proportionate and dissuasive . ### member states should lay down penalties applicable to infringements of this regulation and ensure that these penalties are applied . the penalties , which might include the payment of compensation to the person in question , should be effective , proportionate and dissuasive and should include , but not be limited to , a minimum fine or a percentage of the relevant undertaking’s or organisation’s annual turnover , whichever is the higher .


### in addition to the obligations on railway undertakings pursuant to article 13a of directive 2012 / 34 / eu , the station manager of a railway station handling at least 10 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall ensure that the operations of the station , the railway undertakings and the infrastructure manager are coordinated through a proper contingency plan in order to prepare for the possibility of major disruption and long delays leading to a considerable number of passengers being stranded in the station . the plan shall ensure that stranded passengers are provided with adequate assistance and information , including in accessible formats in accordance with the accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx . upon request , the station manager shall make the plan , and any amendments to it , available to the national enforcement body or to any other body designated by a member state . station managers of railway stations handling fewer than 10 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate station users and to assist and inform stranded passengers in such situations . ### in addition to the obligations on railway undertakings pursuant to article 13a of directive 2012 / 34 / eu , the station manager of a railway station handling at least 5 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall ensure that the operations of the station , the railway undertakings and the infrastructure manager are coordinated through a proper contingency plan in order to prepare for the possibility of major disruption and delays leading to a considerable number of passengers being stranded in the station . the plan shall pay particular attention to the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility and shall ensure that stranded passengers are provided with adequate assistance and information , including in accessible formats in accordance with the accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx . the plan shall also include requirements for the accessibility of alert and information systems . upon request , the station manager shall make the plan , and any amendments to it , available to the national enforcement body or to any other body designated by a member state . station managers of railway stations handling fewer than 5 000 passengers per day on average over a year shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate station users and to assist and inform stranded passengers in such situations ;


### subject matter ### subject matter and objectives


### assistance shall be provided on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 48 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ; ### assistance in staffed stations shall be provided on condition that the railway undertaking , the station manager , the ticket vendor or the tour operator with which the ticket was purchased is notified of the person ' s need for such assistance at least 48 hours before the assistance is needed . where a ticket or season ticket permits multiple journeys , one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided . such notifications shall be forwarded to all other railway undertakings and station managers involved in the person ' s journey ; member states and competent authorities shall ensure that major stations provide the necessary assistance services to reduce the above - mentioned notification period below 48 hours .


### in the event of delay , passengers should be provided with continued or re - routed transport options under comparable transport conditions . the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility should be taken into account in such an event . ### in the event of delay , passengers should be provided with continued or re - routed transport options under comparable transport conditions . the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility should in particular be taken into account in such an event .


### passengers’ rights in the event of cancellation or delay ; ### passengers’ rights and compensation in the event of disruption , such as cancellation or delay ;


### compensation for delay shall be calculated in relation to the full price which the passenger actually paid for the delayed service . where the transport contract is for a return journey , compensation for delay on either the outward or the return leg shall be calculated in relation to half of the price paid for the ticket . in the same way the price for a delayed service under any other form of transport contract allowing travelling several subsequent legs shall be calculated in proportion to the full price . ### compensation for delay shall be calculated in relation to the full price which the passenger actually paid for the delayed service , ticket or combined journey . where the transport contract is for a return journey , compensation for delay on either the outward or the return leg shall be calculated in relation to half of the price paid for the ticket or combined journey . in the same way the price for a delayed service under any other form of transport contract allowing travelling several subsequent legs shall be calculated in proportion to the full price .


### - percentage of delays of 60 - 119 minutes ; ### - percentage of delays of 45 - 89 minutes ;


### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 , and before their implementation , decisions to discontinue services either permanently or temporarily . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services . ### railway undertakings or , where appropriate , competent authorities responsible for a public service railway contract shall make public by appropriate means , and without delay including in accessible formats for persons with disabilities in accordance with accessibility requirements laid down in directive xxx31 , and in good time before implementation , proposals to discontinue or substantially reduce services either permanently or temporarily , and shall ensure that those proposals are subject to meaningful and proper consultation with stakeholders before any implementation takes place . __________________ 31 directive xxx on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the member states as regards the accessibility requirements for products and services .


### users’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding the service both before and during the journey . whenever possible , railway undertakings and ticket vendors should provide this information in advance and as soon as possible . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility . ### consumers’ rights to rail services include the receipt of information regarding all available rail options and the service before , during and after the journey . railway undertakings , ticket vendors and tour operators should provide that information in advance and in real - time . that information should be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility and should be available publicly .


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities before the commencement of the posting , using a standard multilingual form in the internal market information system established under regulation eu 1024 / 2012 . the commission shall make available the basis for this form in the 23 official languages of the eu in annex to this directive . a parallel and public interface for the imi shall need to be developed to send and possibly update posting declarations between transport operators and the competent authorities of the receiving member states . the posting declaration shall contain the following information :


### information made available bilaterally under article 17 of regulation no 3820 / 85 or article 19 of regulation no 3821 / 85 shall be exchanged between the designated bodies notified to the commission in accordance with article 7 : ### in paragraph 1 , the introductory part is replaced by the following : ' 1 . information made available bilaterally under article 22 of regulation no 561 / 2006 or article 40 of regulation no 165 / 2014 shall be exchanged between the designated bodies notified to the commission in accordance with article 7 : '


### member states may only impose the following administrative requirements and control measures : ### member states may impose the following administrative requirements and control measures necessary to ensure effective monitoring of compliance with the obligations arising from this directive and article 9 of directive 2014 / 67 / eu , provided that they are justified in accordance with union law and relatively . to this end member states may , in particular , provide for the following measures :


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles of all transport categories falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec ;


### the anticipated number and the identities of posted drivers ; ### the identity of the posted driver and the number of the driving licence ;


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### for each posted driver and each posting , an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities prior to the commencement of the posting , in a standardised electronic form developed and made available by the commission , at the latest 2 years after the publication of this directive , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing at least the following information :


### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system available upon request or directly accessible to all competent authorities of other member states in accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 . ; ### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system directly accessible through the european register for road transport undertakings and to all competent authorities of other member states accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 ;


### in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector it is necessary to ensure adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other . ### in order to create a safe , efficient , socially responsible and non - discriminatory road transport sector it is necessary to ensure high - quality working conditions and adequate social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable , regulated business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other .


### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficiently reasoned , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days . the requesting member state shall further substantiate the request . where this is not possible , the request may be rejected by the member state . ### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficient , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 5 working days . the requesting member state shall further substantiate the request and the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised . where this is not possible , the request may be rejected by the requested member state . in such a case , the requesting member state may refer the complaint to the commission , who may take necessary measures as appropriate .


### member state shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within 25 working days from the receipt of the request in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days . ### member state shall submit the information requested by other member states pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article within 10 working days from the receipt of the request in cases requiring in - depth examination or involving checks at premises of the undertakings concerned . a shorter time limit may be mutually agreed between the member states . in urgent cases or cases requiring simple consultation of registers , such as of a risk rating system , the requested information shall be submitted within three working days .


### checks at premises shall be planned in the light of past experience in relation to the various types of transport and undertakings . they shall also be carried out if serious infringements of regulation no 561 / 2006 or no 165 / 2014 or directive 2002 / 15 / ec have been detected at the roadside . ; ### checks at premises shall be planned in the light of past experience in relation to the various types of transport and undertakings . they shall also be carried out if serious infringements of regulation no 561 / 2006 or no 165 / 2014 have been detected at the roadside . ;


### member states shall not apply points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 of that directive , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting to their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to 3 days during a period of one calendar month . ### member states shall not apply directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 [ of directive 96 / 71 / ec ] , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations no 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting within their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to [ 10 ] cumulative days during a period of one calendar month . a [ 7 ] day threshold should also apply to cabotage operations as defined by regulations no 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 .


### member states shall not apply points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 of that directive , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 where the period of posting to their territory to perform these operations is shorter than or equal to 3 days during a period of one calendar month . ### member states shall always apply points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec to drivers in the road transport sector employed by undertakings referred to in article 1 of that directive , when performing international carriage operations as defined by regulations 1072 / 2009 and 1073 / 2009 even where the period of posting to their territory to perform these operations is equal to a single day .


### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficiently reasoned , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days . the requesting member state shall further substantiate the request . where this is not possible , the request may be rejected by the member state . ### where the requested member state considers that the request is insufficiently reasoned , it shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within five working days . the requesting member state shall further substantiate the request . where this is not possible , the request may be rejected by the member state .


### in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector it is necessary to ensure adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other . ### the free movement of workers , freedom of establishment , and freedom to provide services are fundamental principles of the internal market in the union ; they are enshrined in the treaty on the functioning of the european union and are essential to a properly functioning internal market . the implementation and enforcement of those principles is further developed by the union , aimed at guaranteeing a level playing field for businesses , combating the circumvention of rules , respecting workers ' rights , improving working conditions , and enhancing social cohesion among member states . in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector , it is therefore necessary to ensure equal pay for equal work at the same place , decent working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other .


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in a standardised electronic form developed and made available by the commission in all official languages of the union , containing only the following information :


### adequate , effective and consistent enforcement of the working time provisions is crucial for protecting the working conditions of drivers and preventing the distortions of competition resulting from non - compliance . therefore it is desirable to extend the existing uniform enforcement requirements set out in directive 2006 / 22 / ec to controlling compliance with the working time provisions set out in directive 2002 / 15 / eu . ### adequate , effective and consistent enforcement of the working time and rest time provisions is crucial for protecting the working conditions of drivers and preventing the distortions of competition resulting from non - compliance . therefore it is desirable to extend the existing uniform enforcement requirements set out in directive 2006 / 22 / ec to controlling compliance with the working time provisions set out in directive 2002 / 15 / eu .


### for the purposes of the calculation of the periods of posting referred to in paragraph 2 : ### for the purposes of the calculation of the periods of posting referred to in paragraph 2 , a day shall consist of 24 hours .


### in order to facilitate targeted roadside checks , the data contained in the national risk rating system shall be accessible at the time of control to all the competent control authorities of the member state concerned . ### in order to facilitate targeted roadside checks , the data contained in the national risk rating system and the national registers of transport undertakings and activities shall be accessible at the time of control to all the competent control authorities of the member state concerned , through the electronic application common to all the eu member states , through which they will have direct real - time access to the erru .


### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities at the latest at the commencement of the posting , in electronic form , in an official language of the host member state or in english , containing only the following information : ### an obligation for the road transport operator established in another member state to send a posting declaration to the national competent authorities before the commencement of the posting , using a standard multilingual form in the internal market information system established under regulation eu 1024 / 2012 . the commission shall make available the basis for this form in the 23 official languages of the eu in annex to this directive . a parallel and public interface for the imi shall need to be developed to send and possibly update posting declarations between transport operators and the competent authorities of the receiving member states . the posting declaration shall contain the following information :


### upon reasoned request by a member state in individual cases . ### upon specific request by a member state in individual cases .


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles of all transport categories falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec .


### member states shall seek to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information . in accordance with the procedure referred to in article 12 , the commission shall define a common methodology for effective information exchange . ### paragraph 2 is replaced by the following : ‘ 2 . the mandatory exchange of information between member states laid down in this article will gain in effectiveness and efficiency by strengthening and harmonising the establishment and use of the following systems for the exchange of information : –the european register of road transport undertakings , with a legal basis in article 16 of regulation no 1071 / 2009 , through which an interconnection is established between the national registers of transport undertakings and activities in each member state , making it possible to exchange information on operators contained in these national databases in an effective and harmonised manner ; –the internal market information system , with a legal basis in regulation no 1034 / 2012 , through which the member states will be able to establish administrative cooperation and exchange data and information with regard to the enforcement of the rules . similarly , with the objective of using imi for the sending and updating of posting declarations between transport operators and the competent authorities of the receiving member states , it will be necessary to develop a parallel public interface within the imi system to which transport operators will have access . with the objective of verifying the correct application of and compliance with this directive , inspectors responsible for roadside checks will have direct real - time access , via an electronic application common to all the eu member states , both to the system interconnecting national registers of transport undertakings and activities , erru , and to information on the driver’s posting declaration through the internal market information system . in this context , the commission is called upon to develop this electronic application that will provide direct real - time access to the erru and imi during roadside checks as soon as possible . ’


### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days , giving reasons . the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised . ### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within five working days , giving reasons . the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised .


### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system available upon request or directly accessible to all competent authorities of other member states in accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 . ; ### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system directly accessible through the european register for road transport undertakings and to all competent authorities of other member states accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 ;


### in order to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the sector - specific rules on posting of workers and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools such as the digital tachograph . ### in order to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the existing directive 96 / 71 / ec in all activities of road transport sector and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools such as the digital and the smart tachographs , which have to be installed in all vehicles used in international transport on a mandatory basis , no later than the 2nd of january 2020 .


### difficulties have also been experienced in applying the rules on posting of workers specified in directive 96 / 71 / ec of the european parliament and of the council15 and the rules on the administrative requirements laid down in directive 2014 / 67 / eu of the european parliament and of the council16 to the highly mobile road transport sector . the uncoordinated national measures on the application and enforcement of the provisions on posting of workers in the road transport sector have generated high administrative burdens for non - resident union operators . this created undue restrictions to the freedom to provide cross - border road transport services having negative side - effects on jobs . _________________ 15 directive 96 / 71 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 16 december 1996 concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services 16 directive 2014 / 67 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 15 may 2014 on the enforcement of directive 96 / 71 / ec concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services and amending regulation no 1024 / 2012 on administrative cooperation through the internal market information system . ### difficulties have also been experienced in applying the rules on posting of workers specified in directive 96 / 71 / ec of the european parliament and of the council15 and the rules on the administrative requirements laid down in directive 2014 / 67 / eu of the european parliament and of the council16 to the highly mobile road transport sector . the uncoordinated national measures on the application and enforcement of the provisions on posting of workers in the road transport sector have generated not only unnecessary administrative burdens for operators but also a high degree of legal uncertainty for drivers . _________________ 15 directive 96 / 71 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 16 december 1996 concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services 16 directive 2014 / 67 / eu of the european parliament and of the council of 15 may 2014 on the enforcement of directive 96 / 71 / ec concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services and amending regulation no 1024 / 2012 on administrative cooperation through the internal market information system .


### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system available upon request or directly accessible to all competent authorities of other member states in accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 . ### member states shall make the information contained in the national risk rating system directly accessible or available upon request to all competent authorities of other member states in accordance with the time limits set out in article 8 .


### the anticipated duration , envisaged beginning and end date of the posting ; ### the host member state , the envisaged beginning date and the anticipated duration of the posting ;


### for the purposes of the calculation of the periods of posting referred to in paragraph 2 : ### for the purposes of determining the relevant member state in relation to the application of points and of the first subparagraph of article 3 of directive 96 / 71 / ec and type of operation in paragraph 2 :


### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within 10 working days , giving reasons . the member states concerned shall discuss with each other with a view to finding a solution for any difficulty raised . ### where it is difficult or impossible to comply with a request for information or to carry out checks , inspections or investigations , the member state in question shall inform the requesting member state accordingly within five working days , giving reasons .


### information made available bilaterally under article 17 of regulation no 3820 / 85 or article 19 of regulation no 3821 / 85 shall be exchanged between the designated bodies notified to the commission in accordance with article 7 : ### in paragraph 1 , the introductory part is replaced by the following : ' 1 . information made available bilaterally under article 22 of regulation no 561 / 2006 or article 40 of regulation no 165 / 2014 shall be exchanged between the designated bodies notified to the commission in accordance with article 7 : '


### the balance between enhancing social and working conditions for drivers and facilitating the exercise of the freedom to provide road transport services based on fair competition between national and foreign operators is crucial for the smooth functioning of the internal market . ### the balance between enhancing social and working conditions for drivers and facilitating the exercise of the freedom to provide road transport services based on fair , proportionate , non - discriminatory competition between national and foreign operators is crucial for the smooth functioning of the internal market . any piece of national legislation or policy for implementation at national level in the transport sector must therefore be conducive to the development and strengthening of the single european transport area and in no way contribute to the fragmentation of the internal market .


### the commission shall , by means of implementing acts , establish a common formula for calculating a risk rating of undertakings , which shall take into account the number , severity and frequency of occurrence of infringements as well as the results of controls where no infringement has been detected and whether a road transport undertaking has been using the smart tachograph , pursuant to chapter ii of regulation no 165 / 2014 , on all its vehicles . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 12 of this directive . ### the commission shall , by means of implementing acts , establish a common formula for calculating a risk rating of undertakings , which shall take into account the number , severity and frequency of occurrence of infringements as well as the results of controls where no infringement has been detected . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 12 of this directive .


### in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector it is necessary to ensure adequate working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other . ### the free movement of workers , freedom of establishment , and freedom to provide services are fundamental principles of the internal market in the union ; they are enshrined in the treaty on the functioning of the european union and are essential to a properly functioning internal market . the implementation and enforcement of those principles is further developed by the union , aimed at guaranteeing a level playing field for businesses , combating the circumvention of rules , respecting workers ' rights , improving working conditions , and enhancing social cohesion among member states . in order to create a safe , efficient and socially responsible road transport sector , it is therefore necessary to ensure equal pay for equal work at the same place , decent working conditions and social protection for drivers , on the one hand , and suitable business and fair competition conditions for operators , on the other .


### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling withing the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec . ; ### these checks shall cover each year a large and representative cross - section of mobile workers , drivers , undertakings and vehicles of all transport categories falling within the scope of regulations no 561 / 2006 and no 165 / 2014 and of mobile workers and drivers falling within the scope of directive 2002 / 15 / ec ;


### the inherent high mobility of road transport services requires particular attention in assuring that drivers benefit from the rights to which they are entitled and that operators are not faced with disproportionate administrative barriers unduly restricting their freedom to provide cross - border services . ### the inherent high mobility of road transport services requires particular attention in assuring that drivers benefit from the rights to which they are entitled and that operators are not faced with disproportionate administrative barriers or abusive and discriminatory controls , unduly restricting their freedom to provide cross - border services .


### in order to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the sector - specific rules on posting of workers and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools such as the digital tachograph . ### in order to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the sector - specific rules on posting of workers and to avoid disproportionate administrative burdens for non - resident operators sector , specific administrative and control requirements should be established in the road transport sector , taking full advantage of control tools such as the digital tachograph . with a view to minimising the complexity of the obligations laid down in this directive and directive 96 / 71 , member states should be free to impose only the administrative requirements specified in this directive – which have been tailored to suit the road transport sector – on road transport operators .


### the inherent high mobility of road transport services requires particular attention in assuring that drivers benefit from the rights to which they are entitled and that operators are not faced with disproportionate administrative barriers unduly restricting their freedom to provide cross - border services . ### the inherent high mobility of road transport services requires particular attention in assuring that drivers benefit from the rights to which they are entitled and that operators , most of which are smes with fewer than 10 workers , are not faced with disproportionate administrative barriers unduly restricting their freedom to provide cross - border services .


### member states shall seek to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information . in accordance with the procedure referred to in article 12 , the commission shall define a common methodology for effective information exchange . ### paragraph 2 is replaced by the following : ‘ 2 . the mandatory exchange of information between member states laid down in this article will gain in effectiveness and efficiency by strengthening and harmonising the establishment and use of the following systems for the exchange of information : –the european register of road transport undertakings , with a legal basis in article 16 of regulation no 1071 / 2009 , through which an interconnection is established between the national registers of transport undertakings and activities in each member state , making it possible to exchange information on operators contained in these national databases in an effective and harmonised manner ; –the internal market information system , with a legal basis in regulation no 1034 / 2012 , through which the member states will be able to establish administrative cooperation and exchange data and information with regard to the enforcement of the rules . similarly , with the objective of using imi for the sending and updating of posting declarations between transport operators and the competent authorities of the receiving member states , it will be necessary to develop a parallel public interface within the imi system to which transport operators will have access . with the objective of verifying the correct application of and compliance with this directive , inspectors responsible for roadside checks will have direct real - time access , via an electronic application common to all the eu member states , both to the system interconnecting national registers of transport undertakings and activities , erru , and to information on the driver’s posting declaration through the internal market information system . in this context , the commission is called upon to develop this electronic application that will provide direct real - time access to the erru and imi during roadside checks as soon as possible . ’


### these health challenges are complex , interlinked and global in nature and require multidisciplinary , cross - sectorial and transnational collaborations . research and innovation activities will build close linkages between discovery , clinical , epidemiological , environmental and socio - economic research as well as with regulatory sciences . they will harness the combined skills of academia and industry and foster their collaboration with health services , patients , policy - makers and citizens in order to leverage on public funding and ensure the uptake of results in clinical practice as well as in health care systems . they will foster strategic collaboration at eu and international level in order to pool the expertise , capacities and resources needed to create economies of scale , scope and speed as well as to share the expected benefits and financial risks involved . ### these health challenges are complex , interlinked and global in nature and require multidisciplinary , cross - sectorial and transnational collaborations . research and innovation activities will build close linkages between discovery , clinical , epidemiological , environmental and socio - economic research as well as with regulatory sciences . they will harness the combined skills of academia , not - for - profit product developers and industry and foster their collaboration with health services , patients , policy - makers and citizens in order to leverage on public funding and ensure the uptake of results in clinical practice as well as in health care systems . they will foster strategic collaboration at eu and international level in order to pool the expertise , capacities and resources needed to create economies of scale , scope and speed as well as to share the expected benefits and financial risks involved .


### protecting people against cross - border health threats is a major challenge for public health , calling for effective international cooperation at eu and global level . this will involve prevention , preparedness , early detection , treatment and cure of infectious diseases , and also tackling antimicrobial resistance following a ‘ one health approach’ . ### protecting people against cross - border health threats and poverty - related and neglected diseases is a major challenge for public health , calling for effective international cooperation at eu and global level as well as coordination between eu funding instruments in r&i and international development . this will involve developing tools for prevention , preparedness , early detection , treatment and cure of infectious diseases , and also tackling antimicrobial resistance following a ‘ one health approach’ .


### international joint action will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and sustainable development goals , access to the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , and enhanced supply and demand of innovative solutions . ### international joint action , particularly focused on addressing market failures , will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and neglected areas of research , achieving the sustainable development goals , access to the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , and enhanced supply and demand of innovative solutions .


### –research on newly emerging health issues and health threats . ### –research on newly emerging health issues , large scale epidemics of infectious diseases and health threats with special attention for the threat of antimicrobial resistance .


### health research and innovation research and innovation have played a significant part in this achievement but also in improving productivity and quality in the health and care industry . however , the eu continues to face novel , newly emerging or persisting challenges that are threatening its citizens and public health , the sustainability of its health care and social protection systems , as well as the competitiveness of its health and care industry . major health challenges in the eu include : the lack of effective health promotion and disease prevention ; the rise of non - communicable diseases ; the spread of antimicrobial drug resistance and the emergence of infectious epidemics ; increased environmental pollution ; the persistence of health inequalities among and within countries affecting disproportionally people that are disadvantaged or in vulnerable stages of life ; the detection , understanding , control , prevention and mitigation of health risks in a rapidly changing social , urban and natural environment ; the increasing costs for european health care systems and the progressive introduction of personalised medicine approaches and digitalisation in health and care ; and the increasing pressure on the european health and care industry to remain competitive in and by developing health innovation vis - a - vis new and emerging global players . ### health research and innovation , including product development , have played a significant part in this achievement but also in improving productivity and quality in the health and care industry . however , the eu continues to face novel , newly emerging or persisting challenges that are threatening its citizens and public health , the sustainability of its health care and social protection systems , as well as the competitiveness of its health and care industry . major health challenges in the eu include : the lack of effective health promotion and disease prevention ; the rise of non - communicable diseases ; the spread of antimicrobial drug resistance and the emergence of infectious epidemics ; increased environmental pollution ; the persistence of health inequalities among and within countries affecting disproportionally people that are disadvantaged or in vulnerable stages of life ; the detection , understanding , control , prevention and mitigation of health risks in a rapidly changing social , urban and natural environment ; the increasing costs for european health care systems and the progressive introduction of personalised medicine approaches and digitalisation in health and care ; and the increasing pressure on the european health and care industry to remain competitive in and by developing health innovation vis - a - vis new and emerging global players .


### international joint action will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and sustainable development goals , access to the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , and enhanced supply and demand of innovative solutions . ### international joint action will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and sustainable development goals , access to the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , and enhanced supply and demand of innovative solutions . international collaboration and cooperation will be designed around common goals requiring international collaboration . this will facilitate european researchers to engage with the best researchers in their field .


### international joint action will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and sustainable development goals , access to the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , and enhanced supply and demand of innovative solutions . ### international joint action will ensure effective tackling of global societal challenges and sustainable development goals . given the global nature of these challenges and their close relation with low and middle income countries , the effort shall be directed into a strategic cooperation between the world’s best talents , expertise and resources , while working in line with developmental policies , in order to avoid a “brain drain” from developing countries .


### fostering open science and ensuring visibility to the public and open access to results ; ### fostering open science and ensuring visibility to the public and open access to research data and results for a greater share and use of scientific information , respecting at the same time intellectual property rights ;


### greater impact will be obtained through aligning actions with other nations and regions of the world within an international cooperation effort of unprecedented scale . based on mutual benefit , partners from across the world will be invited to join eu efforts as an integral part of initiatives in support of eu action for sustainability , reinforced research and innovation excellence , and competitiveness . ### greater impact will be obtained through aligning actions with other nations and regions of the world within an international cooperation effort of unprecedented scale , to develop a shared future based on sustainable development bringing together knowledge capacity and infrastructure to support actions on both sides . based on mutual benefit , partners from across the world , including research and education partners , industry , government and ngos , will be invited to join eu efforts as an integral part of initiatives in support of eu action for sustainability , reinforced research and innovation excellence , and competitiveness . the transfer of knowledge , capacity and infrastructure between the partners internationally will drive shared approaches and regulation that will bring synergistic trading to both .


### –trans - border aspects of infectious diseases and specific challenges in low - and middle - income countries , such as tropical diseases . ### –trans - border aspects and research and product development in infectious diseases and specific challenges in low - and middle - income countries , such as tuberculosis , hiv and malaria as well as neglected tropical diseases .


### to maintain a high level of safety provided by common safety standards defined by directive 2009 / 45 / ec of the european parliament and of the council16 and to preserve level playing field , the application of that directive should be improved . directive 2009 / 45 / ec should apply only to passenger ships and craft for which its safety standards have been designed . a number of specific ship types should be therefore excluded from its scope , such as tenders , sailing ships or ships transporting trained personnel engaged in business of the ship or offshore installations . _________________ 16 directive 2009 / 45 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 6 may 2009 on safety rules and standards for passenger ships . ### to maintain a high level of safety and passenger confidence provided by common safety standards defined by directive 2009 / 45 / ec of the european parliament and of the council16 and to preserve level playing field , the application of that directive should be improved . directive 2009 / 45 / ec should apply only to passenger ships and craft for which its safety standards have been designed . a number of specific ship types should be therefore excluded from its scope , such as tenders , sailing ships or ships transporting trained personnel engaged in business of the ship or offshore installations . _________________ 16 directive 2009 / 45 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 6 may 2009 on safety rules and standards for passenger ships .