EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/402

(2004/C 78 E/0424)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2293/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(11 July 2003)

Subject: Discontinuation of cross-border night-trains within the EU, in response to free market pressures, leading to high ticket prices for journeys using the rail networks of other Member States

1. Is the Commission aware that at the end of 2003 the Belgian national rail company NMBS/SNCB is discontinuing its night-train services to foreign destinations in order to save EUR 15 million per year, a move which will seriously restrict the scope for passenger rail transport to the south of France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria?

2. Is the Commission aware, further, that the reason for this decision is that NMBS/SNCB regards the tariffs which it has been required to pay, since the opening-up of the European market, to use other countries' rail networks as too high, a situation at odds with its duty to supply all services other than domestic passenger transport on a strictly commercial basis?

3. Does the Commission recognise the danger that in future in the EU the only night-trains will be domestic services within larger Member States, such as Germany and France, and that cross-border services will continue to exist only as long as, in particular, the Spanish, Polish, Hungarian and Romanian railways are willing and able to operate them, in keeping with vital national interests and by virtue of low wage costs?

4. How does the contrast between the continuing availability of domestic rail services and the ever greater restrictions on cross-border services sit with the Commission's transport policy, which is geared towards European integration and, as outlined in its White Paper on a transport policy for the year 2010, sees an important role for the railways in competition with air and road transport?

5. Is the Commission's Rail Market Monitoring System (RMMS) taking note of the increase in and the disparities between average railway infrastructure charges? Is the Commission taking measures to correct this trend?

6. Is the Commission prepared to take active steps to enable the railways to continue to provide existing night-train services and to create the conditions needed for the long-term provision and the possible expansion of cross-border night services?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2003)

The Commission is aware of the reduction in the number of international night and car-sleeper services from Belgium as of December 2003. The Commission considers that a further opening of the market for international passenger services by rail will allow new railway undertakings to offer new and competitive services, which satisfy the requirements of the passengers, and would like to refer the Honourable Member to the replies on his previous questions, notably E-1699/03 (1), E-1721/03 (2) and E-1722/03 (3).

Further to the requirements of Directive 2001/12/EC (4), the Commission has started to monitor market developments in the railway sector. The monitor of the rail market shall be comprehensive, and shall therefore include as many aspects as possible, one of them being the level of infrastructure charges. The determination of the level of these charges does not belong to the competences of the Commission. However, the verification of the compliance of national provisions adopted for the implementation of Directive 2001/14/EC (5) -which determines the framework conditions for rail infrastructure access and charges, as well as the creation of a Regulatory Body (6) — is carried out by the Commission, bearing in mind that the levels of these charges are set by the Infrastructure Managers.

(1) OJ C 51 E, 26.2.2004, p. 128.

(2) OJ C 33 E, 6.2.2004, p. 158.

(3) OJ C 58 E, 6.3.2004, p. 88.

(4) Directive 2001/12/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways, OJ L 75, 15.3.2001.

(5) Directive 2001/14/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001 on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying of charges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certification, OJ L 75, 15.3.2001.

(6) Article 30 of Directive 2001/14/EC.