Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-24-Speech-1-148"
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"en.20070924.17.1-148"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, as one of those who started the collection of signatures entitled ‘One Million for Disability’ I encouraged men and women throughout Europe to actively support people with disabilities. In early October the signatures will be handed over to the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament to urge them also to do more to support a social Europe. Today, almost on the eve of that occasion, we are debating the third rail package, which is also and from my point of view very specifically concerned with the rights and obligations of rail passengers.
A substantial part of the regulation focuses on the rights and obligations of persons with reduced mobility, whether as a result of age, disability or any other factor, and – particularly noteworthy – of any accompanying persons. They have the same right to freedom of movement, freedom of choice and non-discrimination as all other citizens. It has been a great victory on the part of the European Parliament that this part of the rail package will apply not only to international but also to domestic services. That expands all rail passengers’ user rights and improves the quality and effectiveness of rail passenger services.
It means all travellers have a right to information about rail services both before and during the journey. Gradually all buildings and vehicles will also be made accessible to persons with reduced mobility. Passengers will have more rights to compensation and assistance in the event of delays, missed connections or cancelled trains, and the complaints procedure that was lacking in the past will create trust between passengers and service providers. All those factors will make using the train more attractive.
Unfortunately, Member States can still apply temporary exemptions, yet this result does mean we are safely on the right road. Now the Member States can prove how serious they were in March this year when they signed the UN Charter on persons with disabilities. I expect my country, Germany, to set a good example in transposing the rights of persons with disabilities. I thank the rapporteurs and all those who conducted the negotiations during the conciliation procedure and recommend endorsing this package."@en1
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