Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-04-Speech-2-287"
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"en.20000704.12.2-287"2
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"Mr President, for the railways the status quo is really not an option. They either have to change or die. Railways in Europe are in terminal decline, not least in the rail freight sector. New freight goes by road in Europe, not by rail. That must change, and I believe it will. That is why I broadly support the Council position which represents a small but important step towards railway liberalisation.
The alternative to this modest step is no step at all. That is why tonight, regretfully I cannot agree with the tactics suggested by Mr Jarzembowski because it is a recipe for going nowhere at all, very quickly. We have to take into account national differences and indeed, social and employment concerns.
Broadly, the Council position has struck the right balance on the charging, licensing, access and separation issues. They have struck a right balance between both extremes and I would advocate – to use Mr Swoboda's term – that "third way" should be applied to the railways in Europe.
Labour MEPs have two particular concerns which I know are shared by many other Members: one is the issue of derogations. We believe that Greece, Ireland and Northern Ireland should have a limited derogation of five years because of their unique geographical and geopolitical circumstances. Secondly, we hope that the deletion of Article 12, led by the Liberals in committee, which could deprive citizens and consumers of network benefits and deprive disabled people of access, can be reinserted into the text. Those basic safeguards must be restored.
The prize for us tonight is that for the first time in history we can achieve liberalisation of the international freight network. That is an achievable goal. Let us not throw it away."@en1
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