WRITTEN QUESTION E-2293/03 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. 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.
Date: 2003-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, charges for use of infrastructure, international transport, intra-EU transport, liberalisation of the market, rail network, rail transport, transport policy

C 78 E/402

Official Journal of the European Union

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27.3.2004

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eVote (cid:1) have been selected for exhibition at the Union’s Ministerial Conference eGovernment 2003, held
on 7/8 July 2003, in Italy.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/index_en.htm
(2) OJ C 287, 12.10.2001.
(3) COM(2002) 704 final.
(4) http://europa.eu.int/futurum/index_en.htm

(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?

Does the Commission recognise the danger that in future in the EU the only night-trains will be
3.
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?

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Official Journal of the European Union

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

Is the Commission prepared to take active steps to enable the railways to continue to provide
6.
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) (cid:1) 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.

(2004/C 78 E/0425)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2405/03

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 July 2003)

Subject: Motor-vehicle insurance

On 19 June 2003, the Belgian Insurance Ombudsman presented her annual report. In the evaluation of
her report, the Ombudsman was reported in the newspaper ‘De Standaard’ to have noted that young
people, above all, as well as elderly drivers were being systematically refused insurance or that their
policies were being swiftly cancelled if they made a claim.

In its answer to Oral Question H-0525/02 (1), the Commission stated that free trade in insurance products
was in the interests of the vast majority of motorists who could choose the insurance company which
rewarded good drivers by charging lower premiums.

With a view to ensuring that drivers in general and young drivers in particular may secure affordable
third-party liability insurance cover, the new Belgian Government is proposing that insurance companies
should be required to offer new drivers policies valid for a period of five years or longer.