Press Release: Presidency and European Parliament strike provisional deal on opening of railway market and railway infrastructure governance

The Dutch presidency of the Council of the European Union announced on 19 April 2016 it had reached an informal agreement with the European Parliament on the 'market pillar' of the 4th railway package.

This part of the package include the following measures:

+ a revised regulation governing public service contracts;
+ a revised directive on establishing a single European railway area;
+ a regulation repealing the regulation on the normalisation of accounts of railway undertakings.

These proposals aimed to open domestic rail passenger markets in the member states and to strengthen the independence of rail infrastructure managers to ensure effective and non-discriminatory access to infrastructure.

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: PRESS RELEASE: IP/16/1382, 20.04.16: Rail Transport: Landmark deal will deliver better rail services to passengers http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-1382_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: MEMO/16/1383, 20.04.19: Questions and Answers – The Fourth Railway Package http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-1383_en.htm

ESO: Background information: The fourth railway package: Another step towards a Single European Railway Area http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-fourth-railway-package-another-step-towards-a-single-european-railway-area/

ESO: Background information: Railway market opening and governance: Council agrees its position http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-railway-market-opening-and-governance-council-agrees-its-position/

European Parliament: Newsroom: Press Release, 20.04.16: Agreement on opening up of the EU passenger railway market http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20160420IPR24132/

---