Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-05-Speech-3-126"
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"en.20000705.4.3-126"2
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"Mr President, everyone is agreed that something needs to change within the railway industry. It needs to operate within a large-scale European network instead of just within the individual Member State borders.
Long waiting and transfer times at borders and the fact that direct international connections have ceased to exist are a cause of frustration.
We would all like to see ineffective, conservative and bureaucratic procedures brought to an end. Indeed, they cause frustration amongst users and unnecessarily drive freight and passengers onto other types of transport.
I indicated yesterday as well as during previous debates that cooperation between the railway companies of the different Member States should be stepped up, so as to offer joint solutions for cross-border traffic. This cooperation should have been sought a long time ago.
If this had been the case, there would have been fewer opportunities for those intending to elbow out existing railway companies by introducing newcomers onto the market which offer price reductions to the detriment of the working environment, working conditions and the environment in general.
Mr Swoboda is right in stating that years of lack of investment in capacity, infrastructure and technology must now be rectified. He entertains the possibility of authorities offering financial compensation in order to make the use of railways safe for public transport and does not rule out a role for public companies in future.
On the other hand, however, his statement that, in this line of industry, rights must be available to all to an equal extent, makes him a hostage to liberal ideas. This is borne out in his ideas that we should aim for full recovery of costs rather than expect extra charges for each additional train.
One unintended consequence could be that passengers and freight are forced to use alternatives which, can, on this basis, compete structurally at lower prices. These are cheaper for the consumer, but cost society as a whole more dearly because these alternatives cannot afford to care as much about workers and the environment.
In addition, Mr Swoboda has deleted the exemption rules for islands and Member States which do not have cross-border railway connections, as formulated in the Council’s common position. In his opinion, everyone should be affected by liberalisation to the same degree. In our view, this deletion does not constitute an improvement on the Council’s position."@en1
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