EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

•Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

The geographical scope of the Interbus Agreement is restricted to the member countries of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) and those countries mentioned in Article 30(2) of the Interbus Agreement. Apart from the European Union, the Republic of Albania, the Principality of Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia, the Republic of Turkey and Ukraine are currently Contracting Parties to the Agreement.

The Interbus Agreement on the international occasional carriage of passengers by coach and bus () entered into force on 1 January 2003. The Agreement was later updated by Decision No 1/2011 () of the Joint Committee set up in Article 23 of the Agreement.

The Interbus Agreement is open to accession by countries which are full members of the ECMT. The Kingdom of Morocco is not a full member but has an observer status in the ECMT.

The Interbus Agreement should provide a clear legal basis for the accession of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The possible accession of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Interbus Agreement will contribute to further developing international passenger transport relations, tourism and cultural exchange beyond those countries that are currently Parties to the Interbus Agreement and facilitate their organisation.

On 5 December 2014, the Council authorised the Commission () to open negotiations to amend the Interbus Agreement with a view to enlarging its geographical scope to the Kingdom of Morocco.

Following Council Decision (EU) 2018/1211 of 16 July 2018 (), the Protocol amending the Agreement on the international occasional carriage of passengers by coach and bus (Interbus Agreement) by extending the possibility for accession to the Kingdom of Morocco was signed by the European Union, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Turkey, subject to its conclusion at a later date. However, the Protocol which was open for signature between 16 July 2018 and 16 April 2019 was not signed by all Contracting Parties before the signature period expired.

On 18 February 2020, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations, on behalf of the Union, to amend the Protocol on the Kingdom of Morocco in order to make certain technical changes regarding the signing and entry into force, and to reflect the change in the denomination of one Contracting Party to the Interbus Agreement.

The negotiations were successfully concluded and a new version of the Protocol on the Kingdom of Morocco has been prepared accordingly. Considering that not all Contracting Parties signed the original Protocol, it has been considered more appropriate to replace the whole Protocol by a new one instead of negotiating a Protocol amending the original Protocol.

It should be recalled that international carriage of passengers by coach and bus is an important sectors providing mobility to European citizens with an affordable price structure. Their further development beyond the EU would equally benefit EU citizens, foreign tourists, the tourist industry and European regions.

The possibility of market access should be offered to the Kingdom of Morocco based on the provisions of the Interbus Agreement subject to implementation of the EU acquis in the field of road passenger transport, including road safety, technical provisions, driver qualifications, social rules, passenger rights, environment and admission to the occupation.

In order to avoid governance issues, all Contracting Parties to the Interbus Agreement should sign and approve or ratify the Protocol extending the possibility of accession to the Kingdom of Morocco before this country can join.

In order to allow the Contracting Parties to the Interbus Agreement to sign and conclude the Protocol, it is appropriate that the Protocol should not provide for a specific period during which it is open for signature.

The entry into force of the Protocol is the first day of the month following that when all Interbus Contracting Parties have signed and approved or ratified it.

One Contracting Party has changed its denomination to the Republic of North Macedonia, which should be reflected in the Protocol.

The Protocol now also indicates that the Principality of Andorra has become a Contracting Party to the Interbus Agreement.