WRITTEN QUESTION P-1583/03

by Jan Dhaene (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(2 May 2003)

Subject: Cross-border rail travel

Cross-border rail travel is more expensive than normal train services. This is an anomaly in a Europe without frontiers. On top of this, it is not environmentally friendly as travel by car is being encouraged because it is too expensive to take the train. Fares for cross-border travel are even calculated at double the rate by the national railways, for instance on the connection between Courtrai in Belgium and Lille in France or the connection between Tournai and Lille.

1. As bank charges for transfers of funds within the EU have been reduced, why does the same not apply for people travelling by train?

2. What steps will the Commission take in the near future to tackle this matter?

3. Might it not be feasible to have a train subsidy for Lille 2004, European Capital of Culture?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2003)

The Commission agrees that higher fares for cross-border rail travel as opposed to national rail travel are an anomaly in the internal market. This anomaly should progressively disappear with the completion of the European railway area as provided for in the Communication from the Commission to the Parliament and the Council Towards an integrated European railway area(1), which accompanied the legislative proposals put forward in the second railway package.

Fares for cross-border traffic have been determined within the framework of the Uniform Rules concerning the Contract for International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Rail (CIV), which is an appendix to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980(2). Cross-border fares consist of the tariffs applicable on the network of a Member State, a boarding charge and a border supplement. This situation is difficult to justify or maintain within the framework of an integrated European railway area.

The Commission intends, according to its 2003 Work Programme, to table a proposal later in 2003 for a Regulation on passengers' rights and obligations on international rail services, which will include provisions concerning the information to be provided to passengers on tariffs and fares. These issues have been and are still being discussed with the main stakeholders concerned by such provisions,

i.e. the Community of European Railways and the consumer organisations. Furthermore, the Commission has started preparatory work for a Directive on the gradual opening of the market for international passenger services by rail. These initiatives should facilitate the creation of a genuine, integrated market for rail passenger services within the Union, which will allow railway undertakings to operate rail services where they see business opportunities. For this, railway undertakings should be entitled to determine the level of the fares to optimise revenues, pursuant to Article 5 of Directive 91/440/EEC(3), as amended, which provides that railway undertakings must be managed according to the principles which apply to commercial companies.

Under Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69(4), public authorities from neighbouring Member States can cooperate to conclude public service contracts with railway undertakings for the provision of cross-border rail services. These contracts can include provisions on the level of tariffs applied to such services. The Commission deplores that this option is very rarely used by the transport authorities of neighbouring regions of contiguous Member States.

Regarding financing for Lille, Capital of Culture 2004, the Commission's role, as indicated by Decision No 508/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 February 2000 establishing the Culture 2000 programme(5), is merely to co-finance events which are proposed by the city and staged entirely under the latter's responsibility. Accordingly, there are no plans to grant subsidies for links to Lille as part of the 2004 European Capital of Culture event.

(1) COM(2002) 18 final.

(2) Within the framework of the second railway package, for which the Council recently reached a political agreement on a common position, a proposal for a Recommendation for a Council Decision, authorising the Commission to negotiate the conditions for Community accession to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) of 9 May 1980, as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999, COM(2002) 24 final.

(3) Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the Community's railways, OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, as amended by Council Directive 2001/12/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001, OJ L 75, 15.3.2001.

(4) Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 of the Council of 26 June 1969 on action by Member States concerning the obligations inherent in the concept of a public service in transport by rail, road and inland waterway, OJ L 156, 28.6.1969, as amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1893/91/EEC of 20 June 1991, OJ L 169, 29.6.1991.

(5) OJ L 63, 10.3.2000.