Download - Unife

More documents

Recommendations

Info

01 A sufficient allocation of the Cohesion Fund and ERDF shall be given to transport (in addition to the proposed Connecting Europe Facility); 02 All European Regions (including the most "developed" ones) should be entitled to use ERDF to fund transport infrastructures; 03 Co-financing rates should be defined according to the sustainability of the projects, taking into account climate performance; 04 A level-playing field shall be established between transport modes as regards eligible expenditure. The deduction of revenues generated by rail infrastructure from EU co-financing should be allowed only if similar provisions exist for road transport in the Member States concerned. Alternatively, the co-financing rate of sustainable projects generating revenue should be higher than the co-financing rate of less sustainable and non-revenue generating projects; 05 Cohesion Policy financial instruments should allow to combine EU and private funding in pools and leasing scheme for rolling stock financing; 06 Ex-ante conditions as proposed by the European Commission shall be kept so as to increase funds absorption, especially in Central and Eastern European countries. This is an extremely important issue. 2.4. Fourth Railway Package UNIFE considers that the 4th Railway Package offers a major opportunity to make the railway market more efficient and competitive whilst supporting the creation of a real Single European Railway Area. 10
Today, markets still do not function at their optimum in rail transport, as compared to other transport modes. In a number of EU Member States, the market structure fosters effective competition. Some Member States still appear to seek to protect the incumbent operator from competition despite the fact that both the aviation sector and the road sector demonstrated the dynamics that can be set free by competition. Market opening and liberalisation must be pushed in order to allow rail transport to develop its potential and compete with other transport modes. Similarly, the creation of a Single European Railway Area is hampered by the lack of harmonisation of the different national regulatory environments and of a real European type authorisation for rolling vehicles. This situation, which results in high costs for the putting into service of railway vehicles and equipment, is in stark contrast to that of other transport modes which benefit from a simpler, harmonised authorisation regime. Currently, rolling stock with a value of € 1.6 billion is immobilised within Europe due to lengthy and cumbersome authorisation procedures (600 days on average) in different Member States. UNIFE considers the 4th Railway Package should aim to: 01 Enhance the role of the European Railway Agency (ERA), as outlined in the Position Paper published by CER and UNIFE on vehicle authorisation 1 ; 02 03 04 Simplify and speed up the authorisation process and harmonise it amongst Member States, with ERA becoming the single issuing authority for authorisation, ensuring the coherence of processes and rules; Enforce the process for cleaning up national rules; Empower ERA to pro-actively work with non-European bodies and ensure that European railway standards are adopted globally, and enable ERA to have an increased role on the global stage; 1 http://www.unife.org/uploads/CER_and_UNIFE_Position_Paper_on_the_Future_role_of_ERA.pdf 11
Page 1 and 2: January 2013 UNIFE briefing for the
Page 3: tABLE OF COntEntS 1. Introduction -
Page 6 and 7: 2. DOSSIErS DUrInG tHE IrISH prESID
Page 8 and 9: 2.2. TEN-T Policy Review On 19 Octo
Page 12 and 13: 05 Ensure an efficient liberalisati
Page 14 and 15: UNIFE calls the Irish Presidency of
Page 16 and 17: 3. UnIFE InItIAtIVES DUrInG tHE IrI
Page 18 and 19: Breda , Ansaldo STS, Bombardier Tra
Page 20 and 21: 3.3. UNIFE-CER Annual Reception Tog
Page 22: 22 nOtES

Download - Unife

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?