More competition, new compensation rules in EU passenger rail traffic
© AP
25.09.2007 14:25:22
(live-PR.com) - STRASBOURG, France (AP) - International passenger rail services in the European Union will open to cross-border competition by 2010, giving passengers more choice and railways new tools to fight stiff competition from airlines.
New guidelines approved by the European Parliament on Tuesday will be reviewed in 2012 to see if domestic train lines should
also be liberalized, the EU assembly said.
A proposal to open those lines to foreign competition by 2017 has been rejected by countries where state companies dominate the market, such as France, Belgium or Austria.
Smaller EU states, such as Luxembourg and some Central European nations, also fear their national providers could fold if a giant company, such as Germany's DB, entered their domestic market.
But competition will increase on international lines, where any company from any of the EU's 27 member states will be able to run services.
In a package of rules governing the EU railway sector, lawmakers also voted in favor of setting minimum standards on compensation for delays on domestic and international routes, and of certifying train crews to show they meet professional, medical and linguistic standards.
Under the rules, which will enter into force in 2009, passengers could be compensated 25 percent for an hour's delay, if the operator is responsible, or 50 percent for a delay of two hours or more.
Also, operators must allow folding bikes on trains but may ban other bicycles if there is no space for them in the cars as most European trains are not yet designed to carry a large number of bikes.
The rules have already been backed by EU member states.
New guidelines approved by the European Parliament on Tuesday will be reviewed in 2012 to see if domestic train lines should
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A proposal to open those lines to foreign competition by 2017 has been rejected by countries where state companies dominate the market, such as France, Belgium or Austria.
Smaller EU states, such as Luxembourg and some Central European nations, also fear their national providers could fold if a giant company, such as Germany's DB, entered their domestic market.
But competition will increase on international lines, where any company from any of the EU's 27 member states will be able to run services.
In a package of rules governing the EU railway sector, lawmakers also voted in favor of setting minimum standards on compensation for delays on domestic and international routes, and of certifying train crews to show they meet professional, medical and linguistic standards.
Under the rules, which will enter into force in 2009, passengers could be compensated 25 percent for an hour's delay, if the operator is responsible, or 50 percent for a delay of two hours or more.
Also, operators must allow folding bikes on trains but may ban other bicycles if there is no space for them in the cars as most European trains are not yet designed to carry a large number of bikes.
The rules have already been backed by EU member states.
