# C_2018129EN.01007501.xml

| 11.4.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 129/75 |
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11.4.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 129/75

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on rail transport statistics’

[COM(2017) 353 final — 2017/0146 (COD)]

(2018/C 129/12)

| Rapporteur: | Raymond HENCKS |
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Rapporteur:

Raymond HENCKS

Raymond HENCKS

| Consultation | European Commission, 4.8.2017 |
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| Legal basis | Articles 19 and 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union |
| Section responsible | Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society |
| Adopted in section | 22.11.2017 |
| Adopted at plenary | 6.12.2017 |
| Plenary session No | 530 |
| Outcome of vote
  (for/against/abstentions) | 158/0/1 |

Consultation

European Commission, 4.8.2017

Legal basis

Articles 19 and 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

Section responsible

Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society

Adopted in section

22.11.2017

Adopted at plenary

6.12.2017

Plenary session No

530

Outcome of vote

(for/against/abstentions)

158/0/1

1.   Summary and conclusions

Summary and conclusions

| 1.1. | The Commission uses rail transport statistics to assess the effects of Community initiatives taken in the railway ambit and to facilitate, if required, the preparation of new initiatives. |
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1.1.

The Commission uses rail transport statistics to assess the effects of Community initiatives taken in the railway ambit and to facilitate, if required, the preparation of new initiatives.

| 1.2. | These statistics have been compiled — in part at first and then in greater detail — since 1980 (1). In 2003, a new piece of legislation, Regulation EC No 91/2003 (known as the original instrument), introduced substantive amendments and additions. Since then, the Member States have been required to collect and submit annual, quarterly or five-yearly statistics on the carriage of goods and passengers, on the basis of specified indicators. |
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1.2.

These statistics have been compiled — in part at first and then in greater detail — since 1980 (1). In 2003, a new piece of legislation, Regulation EC No 91/2003 (known as the original instrument), introduced substantive amendments and additions. Since then, the Member States have been required to collect and submit annual, quarterly or five-yearly statistics on the carriage of goods and passengers, on the basis of specified indicators.

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| 1.3. | In the meantime, that original instrument has been amended and supplemented by Regulations (EC) No 1192/2003, (EC) No 219/2009 and (EU) 2016/2032, the result being that a large number of provisions are now dispersed — some in the original instrument, some in the subsequent amending legislation. |
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1.3.

In the meantime, that original instrument has been amended and supplemented by Regulations (EC) No 1192/2003, (EC) No 219/2009 and (EU) 2016/2032, the result being that a large number of provisions are now dispersed — some in the original instrument, some in the subsequent amending legislation.

| 1.4. | The Commission has sought merely to effect a ‘codification’, merging the substance of the various earlier regulations unchanged into a harmonious and coherent whole. The only exception is the deletion of paragraph 5 of Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 91/2003, which gave the Commission the right to adapt non-essential elements of the regulation’s annexes at is discretion. |
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1.4.

The Commission has sought merely to effect a ‘codification’, merging the substance of the various earlier regulations unchanged into a harmonious and coherent whole. The only exception is the deletion of paragraph 5 of Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 91/2003, which gave the Commission the right to adapt non-essential elements of the regulation’s annexes at is discretion.

| 1.5. | In keeping with the goal of regulatory fitness (REFIT), the EESC supports the Commission’s initiative. It wonders, however, whether the data in question could not be better handled and incorporated into other data on this matter collected by Eurostat. |
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1.5.

In keeping with the goal of regulatory fitness (REFIT), the EESC supports the Commission’s initiative. It wonders, however, whether the data in question could not be better handled and incorporated into other data on this matter collected by Eurostat.

Brussels, 6 December 2017.

The President of the European Economic and Social Committee

Georges DASSIS

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(1)  Directive 80/1177/EEC.

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