Opinion of the Commission on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament to the Council's common position on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 684/92 on common rules for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus
Date: 1997-10-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: bus, carriage of passengers, common transport policy, freedom to provide services, international transport

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels,  15.10.1997 
COM(97) 456 final 

96/ 0125 (SYN) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament 
to the Council's common position on the 

proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

amending Regulation (EEC) No 684/92 

on common rules for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus 

(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article  189 c (d) of the EC Treaty) 

At its plenary session of  14 to  18 July  1997, the European Parliament approved, 
subject to a number of amendments, the text of the common position adopted by the 
Council on  14 April  1997* with a view to adopting Council Regulation (EC) No 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 684/92 on common rules for the international 
carriage of passengers by coach and bus. 
Parliament's three amendments are given in annex. 
Pursuant to Article  189c(d) of the EC Treaty, the Commission has re-examined its 
proposal and decided not to accept the amendments for the following  reasons: 
The objective pursued in Amendment  1  relating to regulations on social benefits  and 
road safety  is already present in the existing Regulation inasmuch as by virtue of the 
last indent of Article 3(1) of Regulation No 684/92 carriers for hire or reward must 
'meet legal requirements on road safety as far as the standards for drivers and vehicles 
are concerned'. 
Amendment 2 concerns the same question, but applies to own-account carriers. The 
same argument applies. 
In fact, the Commission already adopted this position when Parliament proposed these 
two amendments at first reading. 
Amendment 3 concerns the drafting  of a report on the application of the Regulation 
amending Regulation No 684/92 before 31 December  1998. According to Article 3 of 
the Council's common position, the Commission must produce the report by no later 
than 31 December  1999. 
The date proposed by Parliament is unacceptable because it allows insufficient  time to 
apply the Regulation and gauge the new rules' impact on the international coach and 
bus transport market. 
Accordingly, the Commission confirms its agreement with the Council's common 
position of  14 April  1997. 

Annex: 3 amendments 

1  OJ C  164, 30.5.1997, p. 1. 

A4-0233/97 

Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to the adoption of a Council 
Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEQ No 684/92 on common rules for the international 
carriage of passengers by coach and bus (C4-0173/97 - 96/0125(SYN)) 

(Cooperation procedure: second reading) 

Common position of the Council 

Amendments by Parliament 

. (Amendment 1) 
ARTICLE l(2a) (new) 
Article 3(1), third indent (Regulation 684/92) 

2a.  The  third  indent  of  Article  3(\)  shall  be 
replaced bv the following: 

'-  meets  the  legal  requirements  concerning 
social benefits and road safety in respect of 
the rules applying to drivers and vehicles.' 

(Amendment 2) 
ARTICLE l(2b) (new) 
Article 3(2), second indent (Regulation 684/92) 

O  OJC 380, 16.12.1996, p. 40. 
O  OJC 203, 13.7.1996, p. 11. 

P E 1 6 6 9  J 

2b.  The second indent of AlticlftJfti  shall bf 
replaced fry the following; 

1-  meets  the  legal  requirements  concerning 
social benefits and road safety in respect of 
the rules applying to drivers and vehicle*? » 

(Amendment 3) 
ARTICLE l(18a) (new) 
Article 20 (Regulation 684/92) 

18a.  Article  20  shall  be  replaced  by  the 
following; 

IL Before 31 December  1998 the Commission 
shall  report  to  the  Council  and the  European 
Parliament on the application of this Regulation 
Before  1 January  1999  it  shall  submit  to  the 
Council  a  proposal  for  a  Regulation  on  the 
simplification  of procedures  including - in the 
light of the report's conclusions - the abolition of 
authorizations. 

2t  fcefore  1 January ?0p0 the Council shall act 
bv  qualified  majority  on  the  Commission 
prQPQ?^ referred tP ffl paragraph 1,' 

PE16.6937 

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COM(97) 456  final 

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