position of the Council on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union (Recast)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union concerning the

2013/0015 (COD)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT



pursuant to Article 294(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union



concerning the

position of the Council on the adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union (Recast)

(Text with EEA relevance)

1.Background

On 30 January 2013, the Commission adopted a comprehensive package of six legislative proposals to deliver better quality and more choice in rail services in Europe.

Improvements in service quality and efficiency are needed to make rail a more attractive choice for passengers and to encourage modal shift. Better value for money and sustainability can be achieved for scarce public funds.

The Package also aims to encourage innovation in EU railways to meet user expectations. It does this in three different and interrelated ways:

(1)opening domestic passenger markets to competition and making it mandatory to tender for public service contracts;

(2)strengthening the independence of infrastructure managers so that they control all the core functions of the rail network and ensuring fair access for all to the railway;

(3)strengthening the role of the Agency to make it a ‘one stop shop’ for issuing EU-wide vehicle authorisations for placing on the market as well as EU-wide safety certificates for operators.

Date the proposal was sent to the European Parliament and to the Council

(document COM(2013) 30 final — 2013/0015 COD):





31 January 2013 Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee:

10 July 2013 Date of the opinion of the Committee of Regions: 8 October 2013 Date of the position of the European Parliament, first reading: 26 February 2014 Date of adoption of the Council position: 10 December 2015

2.Objective of the Commission proposal

The Commission proposed recasting the Interoperability Directive (2008/57/EC) to resolve major shortcomings. Despite the changes introduced by the previous railway packages, a wide array of national technical rules remain in force throughout the EU, and vehicle authorisation procedures differ greatly between Member States. Maintaining strong market access barriers for new entrants and rail vehicle manufacturers in this way prevents the completion of a genuine single European rail area.

The Commission proposed introducing a simplified and unified vehicle authorisation framework, and also proposed extending the scope of Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) and clarifying their link with national rules. To achieve these objectives, the Commission proposed further empowering the European Railway Agency ("the Agency").

3.Comments on the Council position

The position at first reading adopted by the Transport Council on 10 December 2015 supports the main objectives of the Commission proposal of introducing a Single Vehicle Authorisation.

The Council position also includes new provisions addressing specific cases and the concerns of some Member States: