The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) takes note that the European Commission today decided to refer 13 Member States to the EU’s Court of Justice for failing to correctly implement various parts of the first railway package. CER is looking forward to the full implementation of the first railway package and the end of discussions and diverging interpretations on how it should be implemented.
CER has always been supporting a timely and adequate implementation of the Directives and will continue to do so in the future. “An efficient European railway area can only emerge in an environment in which the basic legal conditions are clearly set. However, we regret that no negotiated solution could be found between the European Commission and the Member States at stake and remain positive that adequate solutions will be found in the near future,” comments Johannes Ludewig, Executive Director of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER).
CER understands that some aspects of the infringement procedures relate to the Member States’ financial obligations and the creation of sufficiently staffed regulatory bodies. While surveys conducted by CER show that financial obligations (financing of rail infrastructure and adequate compensation for public service obligations) are not respected by many Member States, CER calls upon affected countries to take up their individual responsibilities to no longer delay the creation of a European railway area. Strong regulatory bodies must be set up to ensure that EU rules are adequately complied with.
 European Commission Infringement procedures - 1st Railway Package | [ ] | 233 Kb |