WRITTEN QUESTION E-3500/01 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Longer journey times and fare rises for rail passengers due to the introduction of an inflexible ticketing system for high-speed trains.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: carriage of passengers, consumer protection, high-speed transport, organisation of transport, rail transport, railway tariff, ticket

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/73

laying down thresholds or criteria, the Member State has to take account of the relevant selection criteria
laid down in Annex III. The decision taken by the authority must be made available to the public.

The Commission cannot ascertain how the Spanish authorities have decided to apply the Directive solely
on the basis of the information provided by the Honourable Member.

However, in accordance with Article 3(2) of Directive 97/11/EC, if a request for development consent was
submitted before 14 March 1999, the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC prior to the amendments
continue to apply.

Furthermore, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down
general provisions on the Structural Funds (3), the selection of individual projects cofinanced within each
programme under the Structural Funds is the sole responsibility of the Member States.

At all events, the Commission will be contacting the Spanish authorities to ask them for their comments
on the facts referred to by the Honourable Member in order to ensure that the relevant Community law is
complied with in the case in question.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(3) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 172 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3500/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Longer journey times and fare rises for rail passengers due to the introduction of an inflexible

ticketing system for high-speed trains

Is the Commission aware that

1.
long-distance rail services in Europe have traditionally enabled
passengers to decide at the very last moment to travel on the next train, as tickets may be used at different
times within their period of validity on trains travelling at different speeds and sometimes even on different
routes?

2.
Is the Commission also aware that, traditionally, it has also been possible to pay the conductor any
surcharges for express services and any reservation charges after boarding the train, if necessary, and that
only reservations for seats, beds or couchettes lapse without any right to a refund if they are not used at
the appointed time?

3.
Can the Commission confirm that a quite different rail ticketing system is developing, particularly for
high-speed train services, similar to that which applies to flying, so that passengers no longer have the
option of choosing to travel on the next train but must instead always take measures in advance in order
to gain access to the train legitimately, and that once purchased, tickets are valid only on a predetermined
train?

How can passengers whose departure time depends when they complete their business be protected
4.
against unnecessary delays arising from the need to book in advance, against denial of access to a
departing train and against the imposition of fines for failure to obtain in advance a ticket valid at a
particular time?

5. What will the Commission do to ensure that, at least in the case of frequent rail services (those
departing every two hours or more frequently) on routes of up to 750 km, it remains possible to decide
immediately before the departure time to take a particular train, so that travelling by train remains almost
as flexible as the use of a private car and so as to avoid unnecessary prolongation of journeys after the
introduction of high-speed train services?

C 172 E/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2002)

1. and 2.
services.

Yes. The Commission is aware of the terms and conditions applicable to international train

The Commission has recently launched a study on the ‘Competitiveness of

3.
International Rail
Passenger Services to other modes of Transport throughout the European Union’. One of the first results of
this study indeed shows the emergence of new ticketing systems applied on e.g. the Eurostar or the Thalys
link, which make use of yield management. This ticketing system does not mean that rail passengers have
less choice as they have the possibility to buy a ticket or to change their reservation shortly before the
scheduled departure of the train, depending on seat availability and the type of ticket they initially
purchased. According to Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the
Community’s railways (1), Railway Undertakings have to operate as much as possible as normal,
commercial, undertakings. The introduction of yield management techniques, similar to those used by
airlines, has therefore increased the possibilities of railway undertakings to increase revenues and thereby
improving the economic value and attractiveness of rail passenger transport.

In its White Paper on ‘European transport policy for 2010 (2): time to decide’, the Commission
4. and 5.
has announced that it will table proposals in 2002 to safeguard the quality of rail services and users’ rights.
It will notably contain proposals on passenger rights, such as compensation in the event of delays of
international trains. It will also contain a request to the railway undertakings to come forward with
voluntary service quality commitments for international passengers services.

Specific measures as suggested in the question of the Honourable Member can not be envisaged as the
Commission does not have the necessary competences. Within the framework of the 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 (3) however, Member
States can conclude contracts with Railway Undertakings in which provisions can be included on e.g. the
accessibility, frequency and price of (international) rail services.

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.
(2) COM(2001) 370 final.
(3) OJ L 156, 28.6.1969.

(2002/C 172 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Attribution of the Kyoto obligations of importing states to producing states in the field of

electricity production

1. What view does the Commission take of the fact that the Netherlands is seeking to comply with its
CO2 obligations under the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change (emissions to be reduced by 6 % from the
1990 level by 2010, as against the current 7 % excess over that level) by importing increasing amounts of
electricity from neighbouring countries, so that the production of greenhouse gases arising from electricity
generation is no longer attributed to the Netherlands but to Germany, France, Belgium or other EU
Member States?

2.
How does the Commission aim to strike the intended balance between supply and demand to which
it refers in its reply to my question E-0959/01 (1) and to use the annual monitoring and a European
infrastructure plan for this purpose?