EU railways: faster, better, cheaper

“We need to show citizens that we can get Europe moving again, also when it comes to railways. The legislative reforms of railways will achieve better value for money for the European taxpayer by introducing new competition and performance targets and making public tenders the norm rather than the exception. That’s why we urgently need to finalise this important legislative package", said the EPP Group Spokesman in the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, Wim van de Camp MEP, following the committee vote on the deal reached between the Parliament and Member States on the 19th of April on the political pillar of the 4th Railway Package.

The EPP Group strongly welcomes the positive vote and looks forward to the final approval in plenary before the end of the year. The agreement is a success for passengers and rail companies in Europe and a big step towards a genuine Single European Railway Area. Increased market access, fairer competition and more efficient governance of national railways will invigorate the economic growth prospects for a crucial sector that accounts for more than 800,000 jobs in Europe.

“From 2020 onwards, rail operators should be able to provide services all over Europe. That is why we needed to guarantee the impartiality of railway infrastructure managers when granting access to new market participants. Fair competition on a bigger market will create jobs  and growth”, van de Camp added.

The political pillar of the Fourth Railway Package deals in particular in managing improved competition in a balanced way and the fair opening of markets for third parties.