Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-24-Speech-1-139"
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"en.20070924.17.1-139"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I too should like to start by thanking the rapporteurs and everyone in the Council and Commission who helped to secure this outcome. We have reached the end of a very lengthy process and the result, naturally, is a compromise which does not make anyone a hundred percent happy but does not make anyone a hundred percent unhappy either. We all want the future for rail transport to be rosy, but we disagree rather on how this is to be achieved. I would repeat what I have said on this before, namely that I do not see liberalisation alone, always, in all circumstances, as a miracle solution. On the contrary, in many cases it will bring additional problems, certainly if it interferes with the public service obligation at local or regional level.
What does work – as the railway undertakings in a number of Member States show – is additional investment in comfort, punctuality and attractive pricing, and that of course requires political commitment. Speaking personally, I am especially glad that we have successfully approved an equally important proposal on the liberalisation of rail passenger transport. We want to open up the market in international passenger transport and make it more attractive, but without fully liberalising domestic passenger transport. Opening up the market also means cabotage, but it can be restricted slightly if this cabotage right jeopardises the economic balance of public service contracts. I know that a majority of my colleagues, admittedly not a qualified majority, were in favour of liberalising national passenger transport but, whilst that might perhaps be problem-free in some countries, I am convinced that in some other situations it most certainly would create problems, not least due to the big differences in the density and structure of rail networks; so an approach tailored individually to each Member State has to be adopted. This Directive, in conjunction with the Regulation on public service obligations, will provide a sound legal framework for this kind of customised approach.
On the matter of passengers' rights it is clear that Parliament was keen, across party lines, to be a little more ambitious and to secure a higher level of rights for all rail passengers Europe-wide. The fact that this remains
impossible for urban and regional transport is regrettable. It is also unfortunate that long-distance domestic transport can enjoy exemption from this Regulation for up to 15 years, but it is certain that within two years all passengers on international trains will have a number of basic rights and that some Member States will emerge as trendsetters by making good use of the lengthy transitional period. And we must give every encouragement here: Europe's mills grind slowly, but they grind. Little by little we shall improve passengers' rights. Bearing in mind what a regulation on passenger rights in air travel has achieved, I urge the Commission to carry out the necessary assessments without undue delay and take any initiatives needed to close any back doors, so that this Regulation does not fail to deliver on its promises.
Lastly, Commissioner, please publicise the content of the regulation promptly and on a wide scale so that all rail passengers are properly informed of the rights they have now acquired."@en1
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