Third railway package

Third railway package a number of regulations of the European Community is designated for rail transport in the European Union, adopted in September 2007 by the European Parliament. It provides, inter alia, the full market opening in cross-border traffic, improvements in the area of passenger rights and minimum requirements for the qualification of train drivers.

Regulations

Directive 2007/58/EC - opening of the cross-border movement of persons

The Third Railway Package supplemented with Directive 2007/58/EC, the provisions on market opening for the cross-border movement of persons, including cabotage ( the operation of national budgets). However, a prerequisite for access, that the main purpose of persons is in fact cross-border. In deciding the regulator. By 2010, the access to cross-border passenger only " international groupings " (Article 8 ( 1) RL 91/440/EEC ) is guaranteed. The opening of cross-border rail transport is laid down in the Directives 91/ 440 and 2001/14/EC.

This approach learns two limitations:

• Free access to the cross-border movement of persons is only to grant until 2012, when the proportion of cross-border traffic is more than 50 % of the total output of passenger transport in that Member State - a rule which applies only to very small Member States.
• The more important limitation is: without time limitation, the operation of holding may be limited if they would compromise the " economic equilibrium " of a public service performance in local, suburban and regional transport - a reference to the equally newly adopted PSO Regulation, in the the allocation of these public services is regulated. Whether a restriction is justified and in what form, is decided by the regulator.

The scheme is a compromise and involves legal uncertainties, especially as the train path allocation and operation of the holding are regulated differently. So it may be that a competitive operators a road wins, but the stations may not operate so as not to bring a public service traffic from the economic equilibrium. Exactly that could but be inferior in train path allocation and can not use his services.

Directive 2007/59/EC - rules for drivers

The Directive 2007/59/EC on the certification of train drivers to take a number of regulations regarding the use and certification of train drivers. The licenses issued in a Member State shall be recognized by the other Member States. Requirement is a minimum age of 20 years, 18 years and older can be a purely national valid driver's license will be granted. A further prerequisite for the grant of a valid driving license to foreign networks is at least nine years' education and proof of appropriate language proficiency.

Regulation (EC) 1370/2007 - Public passenger transport services by rail and by road

Regulation ( EC) No 1370 /2007 on " public passenger transport services by rail and by road " entered into force on 3 December 2009. The aim of the regulation is to strengthen the notion of competition in the public transport ordered. The Regulation contains provisions under which public transport services should in principle be awarded through a tender process. However, various exemptions also allow a direct award to the company.

Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 - Rights and obligations of passengers in railway

A new passenger rights Regulation ( EC) No 1371/2007, which entered into force in late 2009, provides for a strengthening of passenger rights. The Regulation includes provisions for the liability of railway undertakings ( RUs ) for passengers and their baggage, mandatory compensation for long delays, the transportation of people with limited mobility, as well as be provided by the utilities information.

Contrary to the original plan, which provided for only one control for the cross-border traffic, the Regulation will also apply in the internal system of the Member States. However, the EU members have the option of excluding the national long-distance transport for up to 15 years by this regulation. In addition, the urban, suburban and regional services are unlimited excluded from the scheme.

RU must inform passengers about the future of their rights under the Regulation package. The company must also, inter alia, information on schedules, driving conditions, as well as to the shortest travel time and make the best fare. For more information, to make for Accessibility and access conditions for disabled people and bicycles. Also on predictable delays and disruption is to inform future mandatory, as well as complaints procedures and procedure for lost luggage.

History

The European Parliament adopted the Third Railway Package on 25 September 2007.