Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-10-22-Speech-1-222-000"
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"en.20121022.27.1-222-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, mobility is one of the mainstays of our modern society. Over the past years, this has led to a constant rise in the number of passengers in all transport modes. Ten years ago, the Commission already recognised the need for uniform passenger rights. Since then, it has issued a total of six regulations on the subject. Yet experience over recent years shows clearly that the existing regulations are somewhat unclear and have some weaknesses, which means that enterprises sometimes do not apply them in full or according to the law, and that quite often leads to disputes in court.
As rapporteur, I welcome the Commission’s objective of adapting EU law and improving its application to all transport modes, strengthening its enforcement by national enforcement authorities and providing passengers with better information about their rights. At the moment, it is not possible to have a common regulation applicable to all transport modes because of the lack of experience in relation to waterborne and bus and coach transport. In my view, it is, however, worth striving for this, especially in order to promote intermodal transport and prevent unfair competition in tourist transport.
With that in mind, I call in my report for a common core of rights applicable to all transport modes, without forgetting the special features of particular transport modes. We must ensure a certain level of flexibility and proportionality depending on the transport mode. I call on the Commission, in this respect, to start work now on guidelines that also ensure that the existing rights – freedom from discrimination, right to the fulfilment of carriage contracts, accurate, complete and generally accessible information, immediate and adequate assistance in the event of problems – are not watered down.
At this point, I want briefly to address a few main points of the report. Let me say, in regard to information and transparency, that information on these rights must be simple, clear and accessible. Furthermore, I call for greater assistance to passengers by trained staff at information points and help desks. In regard to fares, I believe that we must establish clear rules that prevent any unfair commercial practice. In regard to the application and implementation of rights, the national enforcement authorities have a central role to play. That is why I believe we need a European data bank and networking at European level to make their work more efficient. Here, it is essential to set up a central, electronic complaint centre, a clearing house.
There are major problems in relation to the question of liability and the term ‘extraordinary circumstances’. In this regard, we should use the judgments of the European Court of Justice as a reference point and ensure that the rules are worded in plain language. A very important point is the special needs of people with disabilities or reduced mobility. We must, as I said, pay special attention to them, including in intermodal travel. Owing not least to the economic crisis, we have seen a rising number of airlines go out of business. Here, we call on the Commission finally to propose practical solutions.
In conclusion, I want to point to the increase in intermodal transport. I believe, as I said, that a common core of rights applying to all transport modes and a standard way of proceeding for carriers and enforcement bodies as a whole are the sine qua non that has to be brought about if intermodal travel is to work.
Let me finish by thanking all the shadow rapporteurs and colleagues for their input. They have supported me with their ideas and helped give substance to the report."@en1
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