82/529/EEC: Council Decision of 19 July 1982 on the fixing of rates for the international carriage of goods by rail

COUNCIL DECISION of 19 July 1982 on the fixing of rates for the international carriage of goods by rail (82/529/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 75 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Whereas, pursuant to Council Decision 75/327/EEC of 20 May 1975 on the improvement of the situation of railway undertakings and the harmonization of rules governing financial relations between such undertakings and States (3), railway undertakings should be managed in accordance with economic principles and to this end determine their transport rates with the aim of achieving optimum financial results and financial balance;
Whereas the attainment of these objectives presupposes the principle of commercial management of the carriage of goods by rail within a framework of sufficient commercial independence;
Whereas, as part of such commercial management, the rates and conditions for the international carriage of goods between Member States must be laid down by the railway undertakings themselves in accordance with their commercial interests and taking account of the cost price and the market situation;
Whereas the possibility of establishing, by means of bilateral or multilateral agreements between railway undertakings, tariffs with common scales, distinct from national tariffs, offering rates for whole journeys is likely to strengthen the competitive position of railways and to increase the attractiveness of railway services to the customer;
Whereas railways must have sufficient commercial independence for intensifying their cooperation in the pursuit of common objectives as regards the fixing of rates and conditions of carriage,