62019CJ0033_INF
Judgment of the Court (Tenth Chamber) of 28 May 2020 – Commission v Bulgaria (Railway investigative body)
(Case C‑33/19) (
1
)
(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Safety on the Community’s railways – Directive 2004/49/EC – Article 21(1) and (2) – Lack of adoption of the necessary provisions to ensure the organisational independence of the investigative body and its independent access to sufficient resources)
1.
Transport – Rail transport – Safety on the Community’s railways – Directive 2004/49 – Accident and incident investigations – Investigative body – Obligation of independence – National legislation that does not sufficiently regulate the procedures for the appointment and evaluation of the members of the investigative body and does not guarantee the independence of that body vis-à-vis the infrastructure management hierarchically subordinate to the Minister of Transportation – Lack of organisational independence – Failure to fulfil obligations
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/49, Art. 21(1)
(see paras 50, 62, 84-92, 101, 122, operative part)
2.
Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Examination of the merits by the Court – Situation to be taken into consideration – Situation on expiry of the period laid down in the reasoned opinion
(Art. 258 TFEU)
(see paras 78, 79, 110, 111)
3.
Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Subject matter of the dispute – Application initiating proceedings – Coherent and detailed statement of the complaints – Requirement not met – Inadmissibility
(Art. 258 TFEU; Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice, Art. 120(c))
(see paras 80-83)
4.
Transport – Rail transport – Safety on the Community’s railways – Directive 2004/49 – Accident and incident investigations – Investigative body – Obligation of independence – National legislation providing for the closure of each investigation by the transmission of a final report to the Minister of Transport – Whether permissible
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/49, Arts 21(1) and 23(1) and (2))
(see paras 94, 97-100)
5.
Transport – Rail transport – Safety on the Community’s railways – Directive 2004/49 – Accident and incident investigations – Investigative body – Obligation of independence – Limits – Staff and budget of the body —National legislation providing for the preparation of the draft budget of the investigative body by a person hierarchically subordinate to the Minister of Transport – Lack of independence – Failure to fulfil obligations
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/49, Art. 21(2))
(see paras 112-122, operative part)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
By not adopting the necessary measures to guarantee the organisational independence of the investigative body with regard to management of the railway infrastructure controlled by the Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications as well as the independence of that body with regard to that management as regards access to the resources necessary for the performance of its tasks, the Republic of Bulgaria has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 21(1) and (2) of Directive 2004/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on safety on the Community’s railways and amending Council Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings and Directive 2001/14/EC on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certification (Railway Safety Directive);
2.
The Republic of Bulgaria is ordered to pay the costs.
(
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)	OJ C 122, 1.4.2019.