Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-16-Speech-2-293"
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"en.20000516.11.2-293"2
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"Mr President, one of the European Union’s key goals was the creation of the internal market, but this market has created a volume of traffic which is growing at an alarming rate. Despite this, we need to ensure that goods and people arrive at their destinations faster, more efficiently, at cheaper rates and in cleaner conditions than before. Rail transport is not really a great help in this respect, quite the reverse, in fact. Let us be honest, the train has remained stuck in the nineteenth century. In percentage terms, trains have certainly not retained their share in transport. We can only hope that they have retained it in real terms. Trains have proved the European Union right: more competition keeps you alert and on the ball.
Well, due to a lack of competition as a result of excessively protectionist behaviour on the part of the Member States – and I am not ashamed to admit this – the train has been condemned to a second-class position even in this century, also in terms of technology and even durability, which certain Members have emphasised. Trains are not durable and they are no longer clean, especially the diesel locomotives. We have finally reached a point in Europe where we are about to try to bring about a change in mentality. This is desperately needed, and about time too, for the sake of both the people and mobility within the European Union. We can no longer rely on road transport alone for it is fraught with problems, pollution, traffic jams, increased risk of accidents, as well as the problems which an increasing number of people are facing with the swelling flow of through traffic zooming past their doors.
If the rail systems can overcome the obstacles facing cross-border transport, i.e. by using each other’s rail infrastructure and if they make their equipment more durable, then this will relieve the pressure on road transport. Rail systems develop extremely slowly. In France, for example, this is because the government protects its own market and in the Netherlands, it is because we never manage to bring a procedure to a close and to start doing the groundwork. As a result of this, planes are still used in Europe for short-haul distances. Naturally, high-speed links such as those from Paris to Brussels should have superseded the plane a long time ago, but because of the vulnerability and sluggishness of the present trains, many prefer to take the plane.
It is not just manufacturers and governments that should be represented during the decision-making process pertaining to rail systems – in respect of which, incidentally, there is much room for improvement – but also the railway companies themselves. This is already the case in the technical field, in the form of the European Association for Railway Interoperability. This should also be the case for railway legislation, right across the board. After all, railway companies have the necessary in-house expertise and need to be involved in the entire process. The requirements for admission to the railway network and cooperation between the railway companies and the EU leaves a great deal to be desired. Take, for example, the night train from Amsterdam to Milan which will be introduced from 28 May. This route covers Germany, Geneva and Italy. Each country has its own set of rules regarding speed, safety and travelling comfort. Only if these requirements are met can access be gained to the railway network. This beggars belief, especially if the rules change and are adapted virtually by the day, as has been the case. This makes the interoperability of the European rail systems almost impossible in practice.
What we need are harmonisation and standardisation as soon as possible, if we want to create a true internal market for rail systems."@en1
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