WRITTEN QUESTION E-2002/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) and Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Loss of direct rail link between the Netherlands and the German border town of Emmerich in November 2000

1. Can the Commission confirm that its policy continues to include efforts to bring areas along the borders of EU Member States out of their isolation at the same time as promoting cross-border public transport by train?

2. Is the Commission aware that with effect from 5 November 2000, EC trains between Amsterdam (NL) and Cologne (D) will no longer stop at the station in the German border town of Emmerich because it will no longer be necessary to change locomotives there, owing to the introduction the new, ICE 3M, rolling stock, even although the timetabled waiting time of 8 to 10 minutes in Emmerich will be retained, so that the only difference will be that passengers will no longer be able to leave or board the train in Emmerich? Is it further aware that the kilometrage for fare-calculation purposes from the Netherlands to Emmerich was also increased, as at 28 May 2000, on the grounds that the ICE service was being introduced in November?

3. Does the Commission consider it acceptable for a border town like Emmerich not only to lose its fast direct train service to Germany, making it less accessible from the direction of Cologne and Düsseldorf, but for the direct connection between Emmerich and the Netherlands to be completely cut off, with the result that passengers wishing to make that journey by train will henceforward have to put up with a diversion lasting more than one hour via Wesel, a good half-hour's travelling time from Emmerich?

4. Does the Commission share my view that the loss of the above stopping service at Emmerich would only be acceptable if it were to be replaced by substitute services, for example by extending Netherlands local trains to Emmerich or extending German local trains as far as Zevenaar or Arnhem in the Netherlands?

5. What action will the Commission take to prevent long-term deterioration in cross-border rail traffic, also taking into account the fact that the cross-border local trains between Mons (B) and Aulnoye (F), introduced in 1996 to compensate for the loss of the old route between Paris and Brussels, were also withdrawn on 28 May 2000?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2000)

The Commission would like to thank the Honourable Member for the information given and fully understands that the situation described leads to problems for people in the area in question who depend on rail services to a greater or lesser extent.

The Commission tries in general to encourage railway undertakings to be much more receptive to the needs and intentions of customers but would like to recall that the commercial decision of a railway undertaking whether to let a certain train stop or not stop at any given station cannot formally be influenced or changed by the Commission. This is due to the management independence of railway undertakings granted to them by way of Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the Community's railways(1).

Only the Member State in question could impose such a stop in the light of public service obligations.

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.