COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 7 December 1970 on cooperation between railway undertakings

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the declarations made to the Council by the French and Netherlands Governments on 4 June 1970 on cooperation among the railway undertakings of Member States;

Whereas the proper functioning of transport in the Community as a whole is an essential factor for the satisfactory development of the common market;

Whereas, within their fields of competence, Member transport market, and in order to become more competitive and profitable, railway undertakings should cooperate more closely in technical, commercial and operational matters;

Whereas, within their fields of competence, Member States should also eliminate any difficulties which might hinder the achievement of the aims set out in this Resolution, and any difficulties which may arise at frontier crossing-points, without prejudice to the measures to be taken concerning financial dealings between Member States and railway undertakings;

Whereas, within their administrative autonomy, the railway undertakings should decide on the measures which they consider to be most suitable for developing cooperation;

Whereas, in view of the close technical and commercial links between the railway networks of Member States and those of neighbouring countries, closer cooperation between the railway undertakings of Member States does not preclude cooperation on a wider scale;

I. Invites the railway undertakings of Member States to introduce, by stages, a greater coordination and cooperation in technical, commercial and operational matters, in particular:

A. Technical matters:

1. invites the railway undertakings to intensify their technical cooperation with regard to the operation of railway networks and international transport in order to reduce operating costs;

2. suggests in this respect that the railway undertakings continue their efforts towards progressive technical unification, both as regards the standardization of rolling stock and the search for uniform technical solutions, and particularly for the automation of operating systems, automatic safety and control systems in trains and for the development and introduction of new transport techniques;

3. invites railway undertakings to continue their efforts towards the joint purchasing of equipment;

4. suggests that these undertakings study the possibilities of extending the joint financing of certain types of equipment;

B. Commercial and operational matters:

1. recommends the railway undertakings progressively to increase their cooperation by carrying out joint measures, in particular with regard to international traffic;

2. invites these undertakings to continue their efforts, in accordance with their commercial interests, towards establishing direct international tariffs more suited to the needs of international traffic;

3. proposes greater reciprocal use of rolling-stock according to the most suitable methods;

4. invites the railway undertakings to seek practicable means of making door-to-door transport on the main international traffic routes faster and more flexible;

5. suggests in this respect that combined international carriage of goods, using for example the system of block trains, should be developed and also fast international passenger transport;

6. invites the railway undertakings to ensure in the frontier areas of their networks a rational use of their staff, installations, and equipment, in order to avoid duplication of effort;

7. proposes that these undertakings examine the possibility of establishing and developing international companies or bodies to operate certain national and international services;

8. invites the railway undertakings to study the possibility of integrating the networks more closely, possibly by establishing a joint commercial organization for international through transport at common tariffs, so that prices could very quickly be adjusted to market fluctuations;

II. Expresses the wish that Member States, in conjunction with the Commission, will take all the required measures, within their respective fields of competence, to eliminate any obstacles to the achievement of the abovementioned aims and any difficulties which may arise as regards railway traffic at frontiers;

III. Invites the railway undertakings of the Community to consult as far as is necessary, within the UIC (International Union of Railways), the railway undertakings of the other European States, paying particular attention to close cooperation with the Austrian and Swiss railway undertakings;

IV. Invites the railway undertakings to submit a joint annual report to the Council on the progress of their cooperation.