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BackThis week, a Council meeting of the European Ministers for Transport was held in Luxemburg, whereby one of the main topics was the Fourth Railway Package. According to the Commission’s wish, this Railway Package provides for new access criteria for the rail network (complete opening of national passenger transport) as well as for a change of tender processes (ban on awarding contracts directly). The AK continues to be opposed to this planned liberalisation.
The European Commission has pursued a liberalisation strategy for rail services for some years now and in doing so has sacrificed bit by bit sociological objectives in favour of economic targets. It is the wish of the Commission to remove the remaining obstacles for the creation of a Single European Railway Area. This does not meaning anything but a further liberalisation of the rail sector, which, from the point of view of the AK, must be clearly rejected. Any further liberalisation will bring negative consequences for employees and undertakings as well as for Federal and Länder administrations in their capacity as contracting authorities of public transport. A drastic deterioration of working conditions and long term price increases for customers/passengers will be on the cards. One may also assume that in future private operators will cherry pick the profitable routes, whilst public railways have to make do with less lucrative routes, which have to be serviced for transport political reasons.
The Fourth Railway Package was adopted in the European Parliament in February 2014 with a large majority of Conservative and Liberal MEPs; due to several amendments, it had been possible to get rid of a number of poisonous fangs. For example, “unbundling”, i.e. the break-up of railway companies, which operate rail track maintenance and rail transport themselves, was prevented. The same applies to the planned restriction of the right to strike.
Over the past months, the discussion in the Council has been followed with great interest. So far, the Council had only held negotiations on the technical pillar (interoperability, railway safety and Railway Agency). Not yet discussed was the even more sensitive political pillar (among other the separation of infrastructure and sales companies as well as mandatory tendering). Hence, President Maurizio Lupi of the Council for Transport, Telecommunication and Energy showed his delight this week that after months of discussion on the technical pillar, now the first strategic debate on the political pillar of the package has taken place. He believes that agreement on a common approach will be reached at the Council meeting in December.
The Austrian Minister of Transport Alois Stöger (SPÖ) pointed out that the structural organisation of railway companies has to remain within the competence of the Member States. He also commented that the principle of subsidiarity will be infringed by the envisaged obligation to tender and that Austria would not be bullied into a sellout of her public infrastructure. In the end, not competition would lead to improvement in quality and higher passenger numbers but investments in the infrastructure.
From the point of view of employees and consumers one can only hope that this position will be asserted in the Council.
More information:
AK EUROPA Position Paper „The Fourth Railway Package – technical proposals Completing the single European railway area to foster European competitiveness and growth“
The Fourth Railway Package was adopted in the European Parliament in February 2014 with a large majority of Conservative and Liberal MEPs; due to several amendments, it had been possible to get rid of a number of poisonous fangs. For example, “unbundling”, i.e. the break-up of railway companies, which operate rail track maintenance and rail transport themselves, was prevented. The same applies to the planned restriction of the right to strike.
Over the past months, the discussion in the Council has been followed with great interest. So far, the Council had only held negotiations on the technical pillar (interoperability, railway safety and Railway Agency). Not yet discussed was the even more sensitive political pillar (among other the separation of infrastructure and sales companies as well as mandatory tendering). Hence, President Maurizio Lupi of the Council for Transport, Telecommunication and Energy showed his delight this week that after months of discussion on the technical pillar, now the first strategic debate on the political pillar of the package has taken place. He believes that agreement on a common approach will be reached at the Council meeting in December.
The Austrian Minister of Transport Alois Stöger (SPÖ) pointed out that the structural organisation of railway companies has to remain within the competence of the Member States. He also commented that the principle of subsidiarity will be infringed by the envisaged obligation to tender and that Austria would not be bullied into a sellout of her public infrastructure. In the end, not competition would lead to improvement in quality and higher passenger numbers but investments in the infrastructure.
From the point of view of employees and consumers one can only hope that this position will be asserted in the Council.
More information:
AK EUROPA Position Paper „The Fourth Railway Package – technical proposals Completing the single European railway area to foster European competitiveness and growth“