Documents considered by the Committee on 26 February 2014 - European Scrutiny Committee Contents


18 Rail research and innovation

(35674)

17967/13

+ ADDs 1-3

COM(13) 922

Draft Council Regulation establishing the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking
Legal baseArticles 187 and 188 TFEU; consultation; QMV
DepartmentTransport
Basis of considerationMinister's letter of 11 February 2014
Previous Committee ReportHC 83-xxviii (2013-14), chapter 4 (22 January 2014)
Discussion in CouncilProbably 14 March 2014
Committee's assessmentPolitically important
Committee's decisionCleared

Background

18.1 The EU has longstanding policies aimed at, in the context of a "Single European Transport Area", amongst other matters creating trans-European transport networks, a single market for transport undertakings and a shift to rail, particularly for freight, from other transport modes.

18.2 The EU may establish joint undertakings, that is, partnerships with other bodies, necessary for the efficient execution of EU research, technological development and demonstration programmes.

18.3 The Commission proposes, with this draft Regulation, establishment of a joint undertaking between the EU, represented by the Commission, and the rail industry, to be known as the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, in order to support rail research and innovation. The object would be to achieve a reduction in overall costs to the rail user and/or taxpayer as well as increasing capacity and reliability of rail services.

18.4 When we considered this matter last month we noted the Government's enthusiasm for the proposed Joint Undertaking. However, we did not know whether the Government had any concerns about the text of the draft Regulation or the proposed statutes for the Joint Undertaking which it would be addressing during negotiation of the proposal. So we asked to have, before considering the document further, information on any such points. Meanwhile the document remained under scrutiny.[80]

The Minister's letter of 11 February 2014

18.5 The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer), tells us now that that the Government does not have any significant concerns about the proposed text, but that officials will be seeking clarification on two relatively minor specific points:

·  the definition of 50% increase in reliability in Article 2 paragraph 2c; and

·  the wording, in Article 2 paragraph 2d, around interoperability, to remove any ambiguity around innovations relating mainly to the UK railway.

18.6 The Minister continues that:

·  initial soundings at working group level have indicated that other Member States are likely to accept these requests for clarification; and

·  working group discussions indicate that Member States are supportive of the proposal and she therefore expects that the Greek Presidency will be able to achieve a general approach on this proposal at the 14 March Transport Council.

Conclusion

18.7 We are grateful to the Minister for this information and, having no further questions, now clear the document.


80   See headnote. Back


 
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Prepared 11 March 2014