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REPORT (COM(2020)0078 – C90076/2020 – 2020/0035(COD))

On the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of Rail (2021)

A-9-2020-0191

Committee on Transport and Tourism · Rapporteur: Anna DeparnayGrunenberg

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Parliament's amended version of the Commission proposal to designate 2021 as the European Year of Rail. It keeps the designation and adds new objectives, activities, a budget and an annex of events. The amendments present rail as the backbone of a sustainable, innovative, intermodal, safe and affordable transport network, able to guarantee essential services even during unexpected crises. They add objectives on climate neutrality, cross-border cooperation, tourism, research, data sharing, urban and suburban rail, night trains, rail heritage and the railway profession. They list activities for the Year, including events, campaigns, exhibition trains, information on passenger rights, a possible rail connectivity index and use of COVID-19 recovery funds for rail. Member States must appoint a national coordinator with adequate resources, and the Commission must convene regular meetings of stakeholders, including youth, disability and reduced-mobility organisations. The financial envelope for 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022 is EUR 16 million, and an annex sets out partnerships and events such as film festival partnerships, museum cooperation and Inter-rail passes for young people.

Committee position. The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopts Parliament's first-reading position amending the Commission proposal, adding objectives, activities, a budget and an annex of events, and calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it substantially amends its proposal.

Key points

  1. Parliament adopts its first-reading position amending the Commission proposal for a European Year of Rail in 2021.
  2. The amended recitals call for accelerating the shift to sustainable, smart, intermodal and interconnected mobility, with a 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050.
  3. A new recital notes that the COVID-19 pandemic hit the transport sector hard and that rail maintained crucial connections for people and goods.
  4. Amended recitals add missing regional cross-border rail links, electrification, competition, innovation, digitalisation, ERTMS, internalisation of external costs and better logistics.
  5. The Year should mark the start of a wider strategy for a single European railway area, with correct enforcement of the Fourth Railway Package and the new ERA role.
  6. New recitals state that 70% of the population lives in towns and suburbs, 85% of EU GDP is created there, and commuters account for 80 to 90% of all passengers.
  7. Rail services should be user-centred, dependable, competitively priced and resource-efficient.
  8. The objectives of the Year are expanded to cover climate neutrality, cross-border cooperation, tourism, research and innovation, global industrial competitiveness and data sharing.
  9. Further objectives cover urban and suburban rail, passenger rights, rail heritage, night trains and the attractiveness of the railway profession.
  10. Activities for the Year include awareness campaigns, door-to-door transport initiatives, through-ticketing, investment in terminals and rolling stock, and a possible rail connectivity index.
  11. Other activities cover best practices, regional freight infrastructure, real-time fare and timetable information, passenger rights information and tourism modal shift.
  12. Member States must appoint a national coordinator with adequate financial and human resources, and the Commission must convene regular stakeholder meetings.

Who is affected

  • Member States, which must appoint a national coordinator and provide adequate financial and human resources.
  • The Commission, which must convene regular stakeholder meetings and explore a rail connectivity index.
  • Rail passengers, including people with disabilities, reduced mobility, elderly people and youth, who should benefit from better information and accessibility.
  • The rail sector and its workers, including through measures on careers, fair conditions and protection from abuse.
  • Stakeholders such as NGOs, universities, technology centres, youth organisations and disability organisations, invited to Commission meetings.

Figures and deadlines

  • 90% reduction in transport emissions needed by 2050.
  • 75% of inland freight carried today by road.
  • Border regions make up 40% of the Union's territory and contain a third of its population.
  • 70% of the population lives in towns and suburbs and 85% of the EU's GDP is created there.
  • Commuters account for 80 to 90% of all passengers.
  • 80% of funding under the Connecting Europe Facility is channelled towards rail.
  • Financial envelope of EUR 16 million for the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Article 91 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.