Monitor

Issue 18 / Week 20
14-05-2012

CONTENTS

News of the Week ......................... 1 Association News ......................... 15

European Parliament News .............. 5
European Council News .................. 8
European Commission News ............ 10
CEEC News ................................. 13
Transport and Environment News ..... 15
Key European Parliament Dates ....... 19
Key European Council Dates ............ 19
CER Agenda ................................ 20
CER in the Media .......................... 21

News of the Week

Investing in European railways - are the funds really there?

A conference, organized by CER in cooperation with the Danish EU Presidency, was held on 8 May at the
Bibliothèque Solvay in Brussels.

The event, which was attended by about 100 participants representing EU officials, national transport
ministries, transport stakeholders and journalists, focused on the targets set in 2011 by the Transport
White Paper and what they mean in terms of investment. There was a special focus on ERTMS Corridor B
from Stockholm to Naples (corresponding to future Corridor 3 of the Rail Freight Corridor Regulation
913/2010).

Danish Permanent Secretary Jacob Heinsen The event took place at the Bibliothèque Solvay
After the opening remarks by CER Executive Director Libor Lochman, the keynote speech was delivered by
Jacob Heinsen, Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Transport. Mr Heinsen confirmed that the
Danish government is committed to developing the rail business in Denmark and that the government has
invested heavily in upgrading the Danish part of ERTMS Corridor B (from Stockholm to Palermo).
Furthermore, the entire Danish rail network should be equipped with ERTMS before the end of 2021. These
investments will be mostly financed from the national budget and from revenues generated through track
access charges. However, Mr Heinsen noted that just as in most European countries, there is a gap also in
Denmark between the investments needed and the available financial resources. He explained that part of
the reason is that railways are too expensive to build, to maintain, and to run. Mr Heinsen identified the
lack of interoperability and common standards in the rails sector as one of the main reason for these
excessively high costs. As a result, for example, rolling stock needs to be tailor-made for each network,
causing unnecessary delays in delivery and making knowledge sharing difficult. In his view, implementing
ERTMS across the EU would be a major step forward. Mr Heinsen concluded by saying that harmonizing
operational rules and investment in border crossing projects should be the main focus of Europe’s future
rail transport policy.

A panel discussion followed

Mr Heinsen’s keynote speech,
moderated by Jan Sundling,
ASTOC Chairman, and
Chairman of the Task Force of
Freight Corridor 3
(Stockholm-Palermo).

During the discussion, it was

underlined that the European
instruments (like the
Connecting Europe Facility -
CEF) provide a framework for
member states to invest
where it brings most value.
These instruments should be
seen by member states as an From left: Moderator Jan Sundling (ASTOC Chairman), MEP Richard Seeber (EPP, Austria),
Libor Lochman (CER Executive Director), Jacob Heinsen (Danish Permanent Secretary), Peder
opportunity and an incentive
Nedergaard Nielsen (Senior Vice President, DSB), Stig Kyster-Hansen (CEO, DB Schenker Rail
to leverage their own Scandinavia), MEP Anne E. Jensen (ALDE, Denmark), Jean-Eric Paquet (Director,
European Commission)
investment strategies.

However, the Parliament and the Commission face the double-challenge of convincing member states of
the necessity to finance the CEF, on the one hand, and of guaranteeing national counterpart financing for
infrastructure projects in national budgets, on the other hand.

In this respect, Switzerland was quoted as a country having developed a forward-thinking policy to attract
new financial resources to infrastructure projects, which the European Union and its member states could
take as an example. By internalizing external costs into the charging for transit by trucks through the Alps
and by applying the user/polluter-pays-principle, Switzerland has managed to find a source of financing
complementary to the state budget which is both substantial and treating all modes fairly. As a result, the
rail modal share in this country is still improving, while it tends to stagnate in the rest of Europe.

14 May 2012 Page 2/26

The necessity to find alternative sources of financing must, however, be supplemented, especially in a
period of severe financial restriction, by cost-cutting measures. In this respect, a higher level competition
in the procurement of rail equipment (like ERTMS components) has proven to bear fruit in Denmark.

Jean-Eric Paquet, Director, European Mobility Network, DG MOVE, European Commission, MEP Richard
Seeber (EPP, Austria), MEP Anne E. Jensen (ALDE, Denmark), Stig Kyster-Hansen, CEO, DB Schenker Rail
Scandinavia, and Peder Nedergaard Nielsen, Senior Vice President, DSB, completed the panel.

For more information, please contact Jacques.Dirand@cer.be or Britta.Schreiner@cer.be

Rail passengers’ rights: railways and national enforcement bodies strengthen cooperation

More dialogue between railways and national

enforcement bodies will allow a smoother
implementation of the Regulation (EC)
1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights and
obligations (Rail PRR). At a workshop organised
by the Community of European Railway and
Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the
International Rail Transport Committee (CIT) on More than 80 experts took part in the workshop
10 May in Brussels, more than 80 experts from railway undertakings, national enforcement bodies,
European institutions, and other transport stakeholders outlined their experience with the regulation. The
discussions clearly underlined the importance of a better dialogue between stakeholders when
implementing the European regulation.

Two and a half years after the entry into force of the Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights
and obligations (Rail PRR), railways and national authorities exchanged views on the implementation of this
regulation in the daily practice. The participants discussed in particular the issue of liability for delay: how
to make sure that passengers’ rights in the event of delay are understood and applied by all rail industry
actors in the same way throughout Europe. Based on actual cases, the participants shared their

understanding on some specific issues, for

instance on the grounds for relief of liability,
the challenge of cooperating in an increasing
competing environment, the procedure of
handling passengers’ complaints. The
attendants also drew lessons when comparing
the situation to the air sector.

Cesare Brand, CIT General Secretary, said:

“The European dimension to the Rail PRR
means that the approach must be at a high-
level although taking national differences and
the exemptions allowed by EU member states
into account. The CIT and CER are convinced The workshop, organised by CER and CIT, gathered industry and National

of the value of interpreting and applying the Enforcement Bodies (pictured: I. Oberson (CIT), C. Brand (CIT), J. Svensson

Rail PRR across the European Union in the (SJ and Chair), A-L Le Merre (CER), R. Schweinsberg (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt),
most uniform way possible.” L. Lanucara (Trenitalia))

14 May 2012 Page 3/26

Libor Lochman, CER Executive Director, stated: “By offering a common discussion platform for railways and
national enforcement bodies, we want to contribute to the quality of the services offered to rail
passengers. That is why we also decided to continue offering all respective actors a useful forum to
exchange ideas and at the same time a unique opportunity to network and make contacts across borders.
We would like to invite the participants to continue to discuss the main issues raised today, e.g. handling
of claims, extraordinary circumstances, assistance, in order to find common understanding. In a year from
now, we will be happy to gather again all stakeholders to a second workshop on rail passengers’ rights.”

For more information, please contact Anne-Laure.LeMerre@cer.be

European Rail Freight Corridor Conference 2012

Building on the success of last year, the second European Rail Freight Corridors Conference took place in
Frankfurt on 10 May 2012. The event, which was organised by RNE in cooperation with CER and EIM,
brought together some 140 representatives of infrastructure companies, rail operators, national ministries,
and EU officials.

Patrick Rousseaux of the European Commission, DG MOVE, summarized the main aspects of the rail freight
regulation, including timeline, and clarified the Commission’s intention of linking the governance structure
of the TEN-T core network corridors with those of the rail freight corridors (RFCs), with the aim of
eliminating all duplication.

Libor Lochman, CER Executive Director, presented the uniform

requirements of railway undertakings toward infrastructure managers
and member states which should be taken into account when setting
up corridors, with the aim of enhancing interoperability and
seamlessness. These requirements were signed by CEOs of railway
operators at the CER High Level Freight Meeting in April 2012, and
are based on the proposal made by Forum Train Europe. Mr Lochman
further outlined the proposed TEN-T technical standards which will
also have an impact on RFCs, and which, if adopted, will lead to
substantial benefits. He cited an ERTMS freight corridor example in
which an increase in train length to 750m would lead to an additional
capacity per freight slot of 11% on average.
CER Executive Director Libor Lochman
Monika Heiming, EIM Executive Director, reviewed the progress in setting-up the governance structure of
some of the RFCs, and summarised the key challenges which still need to be overcome, including raising
sufficient financing for the market study, assessing the need for a harmonized approach with regard to
One-Stop-Shops (OSS), path allocation, pre-arranged train paths, and difficulties in exchanging with freight
terminals.

In the last morning session, eight out of the nine future RFCs presented their views on corridor-specific
issues, their experiences in setting up the RFC structures and the difficulties encountered so far. It became
clear that the challenges currently faced are very similar across the various corridors. The missing
harmonization of priority rules along a single RFC and within RFCs, the lacking compatibility of different
ERTMS standards and the needed adjustment of infrastructure parameters (e.g. train length, load, gauge,

14 May 2012 Page 4/26

speed) are challenges which all RFCs are
facing. However, just as the deadlines for
setting up the RFCs vary, so does the level of
progress made so far. While some corridors
are quite advanced with setting up their
organisational structure, others are currently
setting up processes and their management
boards.

The afternoon session started with an update

on the RNE Work Packages and the work
carried out by RNE, including the pre-
arranged paths, the Path Coordination
The conference took place in in Frankfurt last week
System, the Corridor OneStopShop (OSS), the
Train Information System, the Traffic Management, Priority rules in operation and the Corridor Statement.

The conference ended with an interactive panel discussion about the RFCs from a political and from the
practical perspective. The panel included on the one hand the European Commission, CER and EIM,
representing the views from Brussels, and on the other hand the representatives of the eight RFCs with
their operational view in implementing the rail freight regulation.

The audience raised questions about the

About 140 representatives took part in the conference
play their role in the advisory boards and use the existing working structures to deliver the best possible
service for the customers.
governance structures of TEN-T core network
corridors and the rail freight corridors, the
harmonisation of technical standards and
experiences with advisory boards were asked
and answered by the experts. Libor Lochman
focused on the important role of rail
infrastructure managers on cross coordination
and setting-up common working structures, as
well as inviting the railway undertakings to

For more information, please contact Britta.Schreiner@cer.be and Hans.Besser@cer.be

European Parliament News

CER participates in Parliamentary hearing on TEN-T

CER Executive Director Libor Lochman was invited to a Parliamentary Hearing on TEN-T on 8 May to explain
and comment on the technical standards for rail included in the Guidelines. Using the example of existing
ERTMS corridors, he underlined the capacity gains that are to be expected from enhanced technical
standards such as 22.5 tons axle load and the possibility to run trains of 750 metre length. The application
of harmonised technical standards along the entire length of corridors will be crucial in enabling the rail
sector to increase its capacity in line with the modal shift targets set in the transport white paper.

14 May 2012 Page 5/26

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas presented the
main elements of the TEN-T proposals: technical
standards for interoperability and safety, deadlines for
implementation, multi-modal corridors to synchronise
investments, European coordinators to oversee corridors
and support to investments through the Connecting
Europe Facility (CEF). Matthias Ruete, Director General
in the European Commission’s DG MOVE, explained the
methodology behind the TEN-T core network in more
depth. In a first step the Commission had defined the
relevant nodes (urban nodes, relevant sea ports and
important border crossing points with third countries)
which had then been connected by links. Some of these
links had been eliminated in the final step with the aim
of including only those projects in the core network that Director General Matthias Ruete
had a realistic chance of being completed by 2030. Mr Ruete explained that this was the first time that
interoperability and quality standards were included in the TEN-T Guidelines. The implementation of the
network should be aided through core network corridors, which, according to Mr Ruete, are based on the
rail freight corridor concept.

Professor Dimitrios A. Tsamboulas (National Technical University of Athens) provided a critical assessment
of the applied methodology from an academic point of view. He concluded that – in general - the
methodology was appropriate and scientifically sound. For optimal results some improvements were,
however, necessary. He proposed that the core network to be more dynamic through the use of
appropriate modelling tools for periodic monitoring and revision and that there should be special rules for
islands and peripheral regions.

Dr Peder Jensen (European Environment Agency) assessed the methodology's strengths and weaknesses
from an environmental perspective. He explained that there should be attractive lower impact solutions
available for users. This would need to be taken into account on corridors. Eurovignette is an example of a
policy that can set a framework for this. If modal shift is taken seriously as a goal, much more has to be
invested in rail and much less in road. This needs to be implemented by political actors at all levels. The
European Environment Agency reports annually on the implementation of the Transport White Paper to the
TRAN Committee.

Co-rapporteur MEP Georgios Koumoutsakos (EPP, GR) said he retained three points from the discussion: The
dynamic nature of the core network and the need to establish a modelling tool so that it could be
monitored and revised at periodic intervals, the need to take into account the special situation of islands
and the need to be more ambitious on technical standards for inland waterways.

Co-rapporteur MEP Ismail Ertug (S&D, DE) felt there was a need to be more detailed on the definition of
European Added Value, on environmental impact assessments and on cost benefit analysis. The differences
in roles of corridor co-ordinators in the old and new TEN-T needed to be clearer. On technical
requirements, he thought it is important to be realistic about the financing abilities of member states.
Parliament needed to be realistic, but ambitious.

A stakeholder hearing on the TEN-T Guidelines, at which CER will be presenting its position, will be held on 14 May.
For more information, please contact Kathrin.Obst@cer.be

14 May 2012 Page 6/26

The infrastructures for transport: what impact on competitiveness and employment?

Confrontations Europe held a debate on the subject of “The infrastructures for transport: what impact on
competitiveness and employment?” MEP Dominique Riquet (EPP, FR), rapporteur on the Connecting
European Facility (CEF) presented the role of CEF as a steering instrument in funding infrastructure.

How can the impact on competitiveness of infrastructure be measured? Olivier Klein, Professor at ENTPE,
University of Lyon explained that transport infrastructure leads to an increased concentration of economic
activity as well as to increased competition between regions as they become more accessible. Job creation
in one area might therefore be offset by tougher competition in another. It was therefore important to look
at overall effects of an investment rather than just its regional effects. Speaking for the rail industry,
Leonardo Dongiovanni, Public Affairs Manager at UNIFE (Association of the European Rail Industry)
presented the industry’s main concerns with regard to the TEN-T and CEF proposals. He recalled the goals
of the Transport White Paper and highlighted the key advantages of ERTMS: a unique EU standard,
interoperability and performance.

Mr Dongiovanni presented some key figures

on rail competitiveness: 400 000 direct and
indirect jobs exist in infrastructure; annual
growth is expected to be 2-2.5% until 2015-
2016. According to the UNIFE world rail
market study, the infrastructure market is
currently stagnating in Central and Eastern
European countries.

Eva Romer (European Comission, DG ECFIN)

focused her presentation especially on
public private partnerships and project
bonds. She referred to positive experiences
that had been made in the US and Canada
in the past 15 years. The European
Commission is now proposing a limited pilot
phase for project bonds, consisting of a few MEP Dominique Riquet (EPP, FR)
simple projects for the first budget year in order to find the cost-effective and sustainable way of
implementation. She stressed, however, that project bonds are not a “magic bullet” that will fix the
financial problems of Europe, as all long-term loans will need to be repaid in the end.

For more information, please contact Annamaria.Radics@cer.be or Kathrin.Obst@cer.be

Cars need noise labels, says parliament rapporteur

Vehicle noise should be labelled in the same way as CO2 and fuel consumption, according to the European
Parliament's Environment Committee rapporteur MEP Miroslav Ouzký (ECR, CZ). The MEP's suggestions will
be presented to the Committee on 29 May.

Noise labels would help consumers choose less noisy vehicles and speed up the transition to a quieter fleet,
he says. Noise produced by tyres is already labelled.

14 May 2012 Page 7/26

The European Commission's legislative proposal to cut noise from cars, vans, buses and lorries was tabled in
December, progressively tightening limits over the coming years.

Mr Ouzký wants to delay the introduction of limits and make thresholds higher, as well as introducing
separate deadlines for light and heavy vehicles. A new fourth phase of cuts would apply 14 and 16 years
respectively after the rules enter into force.

The MEP also wants to give European

manufacturers additional leeway to pass
noise tests. This would mean that a sample
vehicle could exceed the relevant limit by,
say, one decibel and still be held to comply
with the law.

Another suggestion is to change the way

vehicles are classified and increase the
number of vehicle categories from 15 to 21.

ALDE group shadow rapporteur MEP Holger

Krahmer (ALDE, DE) said that the
Commission's vehicle classification
proposals, which include assigning noise MEP Miroslav Ouzký (ECR, CZ)
limits by seat number, are outdated. He described Mr Ouzký's amendments as a "good base for negotiations"
but said noise labels were of questionable benefit to consumers.

Dutch MEP Judith Merkies (S&D, NL), regrets the weakening and calls for the Commission's ambitions to be
maintained. She also opposed Mr Ouzký's proposal to increase the number of vehicle categories as it clashes
with MEPs' aim of simplifying regulation.

Source: ENDS Europe, 10 May

European Council News

Upcoming Cypriot Presidency presents its programme and logo

The vision of the Cyprus Presidency is one for a Better Europe, more hospitable, closer to its citizens, its
neighbours and the world at large but also more efficient in facing today’s challenges. This is the message
that the Logo of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union conveys, revealed on 9 May by
the Deputy Minister for European Affairs Ambassador Mr. Andreas D. Mavroyiannis at a special ceremony
held in Nicosia (Cyprus).

In a message read during the first public presentation of the Logo, the President of the Republic Mr.
Demetris Christofias described the forthcoming assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the EU by

14 May 2012 Page 8/26

Cyprus as “a very important event
for our country and our people and
also an honour.” Referring to the
vision of the Cyprus Presidency for a
“Better Europe”, President
Christofias stressed that “we shall
strive for a European Union, which
through its policies will function as
a force of progress, peace, stability,
social cohesion, security,
development and prosperity”. Mr.
Christofias also noted the role of
the Cyprus Presidency Logo as an
important communications tool and The logo of the upcoming Presidency

congratulated its creators and all those who worked for the organisation of today’s ceremony for its
presentation.

Continuing, the President of the Republic explained that the selection of this particular day for the
presentation of the Logo was not made by chance, since 9 May marks the ‘Europe Day’, the anniversary of
the Schuman Declaration.

The official calendar is available here

Source: Cypriot Presidency, 9 May

Ministers ride the bike to Danish meetings

In a nation, where 95% of the population own a bike it is

only natural, that a two-wheel ride is offered to EU
delegates as well.

In Denmark both national and local authorities integrate

cycling into transport policies and urban planning. As a
result biking from A to B, to work and leisure, with friends
or on your own, has become an integral part of the daily
traffic. In the capital of Copenhagen alone, one in three
commuters goes by bike.
Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, Martin

During the Danish Presidency of the Council of the Lidegaard and his pink bike

European Union delegates are encouraged to use bikes for transportation. At hotels and conference venues
like Radisson Blu Hotel in Copenhagen and Forum Horsens in Jutland bikes are pumped and ready to zoom
off in to traffic.

The sustainable management of the Danish Presidency has both financial and environmental benefits and
highlights Denmark’s political commitment to green growth and to take a leading position in sustainable
solutions.

Inspired by the Giro d’Italia, which started in Horsens last week, the Municipality of Horsens has produced

14 May 2012 Page 9/26

100 pink recycled bicycles available for ministers, delegates and journalists to use as a sustainable mode of
transport. The bikes have been used enthusiastically during the informal ministerial meetings.

The Danish Government aims to increase the use of bicycles among commuters and has consequently
allocated funds amounting to EUR 133 million in 2009-2014 to this end. In 2012 alone EUR 16.7 million are
earmarked for bicycling projects. Currently 86 national and local projects with themes like urban bicycle
transport and designated parking for bicycles have been initiated.

Source: Danish Presidency, 11 May

European Commission News

Commission adopts Communication on State Aid Modernisation

On 9 May, the European Commission has adopted a Communication on State Aid Modernisation (SAM),
setting out the objectives of an ambitious reform package. In the broader context of the EU's agenda to
foster growth, the goal is focusing on facilitating well-designed aid targeted at market failures and
objectives of common European interest. The Commission also aims at focusing its enforcement policy on
cases with the biggest impact on the internal market, streamlining rules and taking faster decisions. The
Communication identifies a number of actions with a view to implementing these objectives. The main
elements of the reform shall be in place by the end of 2013.

The three main objectives of this reform are :

First, To this end, the Commission will develop common principles for the compatibility assessment of
national support projects and revise and streamline some existing texts, such as the Environmental,
Regional or Risk Capital Guidelines in order for state aid control to support sustainable growth and
contribute to improving the quality of public spending by discouraging aid that does not bring real added-
value and distorts competition.

Second, state aid enforcement shall focus more on cases with the biggest impact on the internal market.
This will include stronger scrutiny of large and potentially distortive aid as well as enquiries by sector,
across member states. At the same time the analysis of cases with limited effect on trade shall be
simplified by reviewing the regime of exemptions, in particular the General Block Exemption Regulation
adopted in 2008

Third, procedures shall be streamlined to deliver decisions within business-relevant timelines. Also, rules
and concepts shall be better explained, including a clarification of the notion of state aid and a
modernisation of the Procedural Regulation.

The Commission will seek further contributions from member states, European institutions and stakeholders
on all elements of the package in the coming months.

For more information, please contact Xavier.Martin@cer.be

14 May 2012 Page 10/26

Importance of ports for economic recovery and jobs

Sea ports play an important role facilitating the European Union's external trade (90% of the total, in terms
of weight) and internal market exchanges (40% of the total). They provide a service to many other
industrial sectors and are nodal points of inter-modal logistic chains of key importance for the sustainable
growth of transport in Europe.

The Commission intends to create a level-playing field across Europe and is assessing if there is a need to
provide for clear and transparent rules on port charges and port services. The services need to be efficient
and the charges to be cost-based, proportional to the service provision and non-discriminatory. This
transparency should avoid access-barriers to ports and allow the ports to be developed to their full
potential.

Further transparency in the accounting would also allow for a clear check of public funding and to assure
that only compatible state-aid flows into port financing. It should be noted that while compatible state-aid
is of great importance to port development, on the other side, the Commission cannot allow for distortion
of competition in Europe.

For many years, the Commission has tried

to develop a specific EU policy framework
for sea ports. On two occasions in the past
10 years, the Commission unsuccessfully
proposed secondary legislation
implementing the EU Treaty rules on the
freedom to provide services in the port
sector.

Today, there is no EU legislation on the

provision of port services. There is a
patchwork of national regulations, with
striking differences from one member
state to another. Exclusive rights in favour The port of Antwerp
of particular operators and market entry obstacles still exist in the port sector.

The most recent Communication on Ports Policy, from 2007, is based on the promotion of soft law
measures. Since then, the economic context has changed dramatically. The divide in performance between
ports in different regions has continued to grow. While some ports in the EU have been engines of economic
growth sustaining the recovery from the crisis, other ports are lagging behind.

The absence of a level playing field for ports and port services in Europe will accentuate the differences
between ports. For several European regions, this would represent a lost opportunity of economic growth
and jobs' generation. At EU level, it would affect the performance of trans-European networks and
negatively affect the overall competitiveness of companies. There is scope for considering that an
appropriate, better focused regulatory framework at EU level could ensure a more systematic
implementation of the Treaty rules on access to the port services market.

The Transport White Paper adopted by the Commission in 2011 foresees establishing a Single European
Transport Area. A framework for ports is part of those initiatives. It is related to the "Blue Belt" initiative

14 May 2012 Page 11/26

(simplification of administrative requirements in ports) and also to the implementation of the Transport
Trans-European Networks (TEN-T). The smart pricing and funding proposals of the White Paper are related
to the financing of port infrastructures. The White Paper foresees a social agenda for maritime transport,
including social dialogue and training of port workers in different fields of port activities.

The impact assessment on the revision of the EU framework for ports services has been launched in 2011
and will take until the end of 2012. It will involve extensive consultation with all concerned stakeholders
and the conduct of various fact-finding studies. It will also rely on dialogue with the social partners in the
sector. The Commission will draw conclusions and come with fine-tuned proposals in 2013.

Source: European Commission, 11 May

Road charging plans – European Commission issues guidelines

The European Commission on 14 May issued

guidelines warning that under EU law road
charging schemes must not discriminate
against foreign drivers. The aim is to assist
member states who are considering
introducing new charging schemes for private
cars.

Seven member states — Austria, Bulgaria, the

Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia
and Slovenia — have time-based "vignette"
charging schemes for private cars. Belgium is
current working to introduce one. The
Netherlands and Denmark have discussed The European Commission issued road charging guidelines on 14 May
introducing road charging systems, including for private cars.
The EU's "Eurovignette directive" sets out a transparent list of costs that can be charged for heavy goods
vehicles, such as the cost of the infrastructure and externalities such as air pollution and noise. For private
cars, there are no such rules. However, the basic Treaty provisions prohibiting any discrimination on
grounds of nationality apply.

The Commission wants to guide member states on what constitutes a non-discriminatory charging scheme.
1. The Commission expresses a clear preference for distance-based toll systems as being inherently
fairer and more effective in sending price signals than a time-based "vignette sticker" system. If
they are not designed carefully, vignette systems are more likely to cause unwarranted problems
for foreign drivers who are simply passing through a country.
2. If a time-based "vignette system" is used, then certain conditions must be met. There must be:
 Minimum short term vignettes. There must be, as a minimum, weekly, monthly and yearly
"vignettes" available to residents and non-residents. Clearly, the shortest term vignettes are
most likely to be used by non-residents.
 An acceptable "average daily price ratio": The average daily price ratio shows the average
price, expressed in equivalent daily price, that a non-resident pays (using the shortest term
vignette e.g. a weekly vignette) compared to a resident using the longest one (e.g. an annual
vignette).
 Clear information on user charges should be easily available to non-residents. Non-residents

14 May 2012 Page 12/26

 should be provided with a range of options to pay, including easily accessible pay stations at
the border as well as by phone and websites. Enforcement must not only focus on border areas.

It is for each member state to decide if they want to introduce road charges, for which vehicles (if at all),
and how they will collect the charge. To date, some member states have chosen to use a distance-based
road toll system, some use a time-based "vignette" sticker system. Others do not charge at all.

A table showing current rates charged to motorists in the seven EU member states using vignettes is available at
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road/road_charging/charging_private_vehicles_en.htm

For more information please see MEMO/12/322

Source: European Commission, 14 May

CEEC News

CER participates in ŽRS anniversary celebrations

Željeznice Republike Srpske (ŽRS), one of the two state-owned railways in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
celebrated its 20th anniversary on 10 May 2012. On this occasion, ŽRS organised a round table discussion in
Banja Luka with Board Members of railway companies from all countries of former Yugoslavia and
representatives from CER, UIC and CIT in order to foster the cooperation between railway undertakings in
the spirit of European integration.

Although the current state of cooperation is seen as good, it should be strengthened further to improve
both the overall quality of railway services and the transport volume. The benefits of the existing technical
and technological similarities should lead to better interoperability and improve the flow of passenger and
freight transport. Going one step further, the railways expressed their intention to coordinate their
development strategies and restructuring processes. An aligned infrastructure development, facilitated
customs procedures and better connected information systems should lead to an improvement of traffic
control and build the basis for a common market appearance.

In Banja Luka, CER, UIC and CIT joined the round table discussion with Board Members of railway companies from SEE countries

As many railway companies in the region are affected by insufficient state funding, a coordinated approach
towards the respective governments was considered beneficial. The companies also expressed a common
interest to stimulate the development of the rail industry in the region.

14 May 2012 Page 13/26

 CER Executive Director Libor Lochman highly welcomed
the common initiative hosted by Dragan Savanović, ŽRS
CEO, stating that the improved cooperation is a step
towards increasing the efficiency and profitability of the
railways in South and Eastern Europe. Beyond the efforts
of the railway sector, sound and sustainable
infrastructure funding (formalised in Multi-annual
contracts) and sufficient and reliable compensation for
public service contracts are needed. The experience
from other Eastern European countries clearly shows
that market opening without solid financing of the
CER Executive Director Libor Lochman answers press questions railway system has deteriorating effects.

Libor Lochman also addressed the audience at the formal reception organised to celebrate the anniversary
of ŽRS. In the presence of Emil Vlajki, Vice-President and the Nedeljko Čubrilović, Minister for Transport of
Republika Srpska, Libor Lochman reiterated the importance of creating a level playing field between the
transport modes and reminded the government of its pivotal role in this process. In his following speech,
the Minister for Transport laid out the governmental support and financing provided to ŽRS, admitting that
it is not sufficient.

For more information, please contact Daniel.Geraskov@cer.be

New appointments at ŽSR, ZSSK and ZSSK Cargo

On 25 April, the Slovak Minister for Transport, Construction and Regional Development Ján Počiatek
appointed Štefan Hlinka as Director General of ŽSR, Pavol Gábor as new Chairman of the Board of Directors
and General Director of ZSSK and Vladimír Ľupták as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief
Executive Officer of ZSSK Cargo.

ŽSR Director General Štefan Hlinka ZSSK General Director Pavol Gábor ZSSK Cargo CEO Vladimír Ľupták

Mr Hlinka possesses extensive professional experience in the field of high-level management, as he has
already served as Director General of ŽSR in the crucial period of 2008-2010 after holding the post of
Deputy Director General for Economy at ŽSR for almost six years, starting in December 2002. Beforehand Mr
Hlinka had gained experience as a financial director in several companies.

14 May 2012 Page 14/26

Mr Gábor, born in 1959, has served in various senior financial and managerial positions in the rail sector; in
2005-2010 he held the post of Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors and CFO at ZSSK. Before his
appointment as CEO of ZSSK, he served as the Director of the Controlling Department at ŽSR, the Slovak
infrastructure manager. Mr Gábor studied rail operation and business at the University of Transport in
Žilina, Slovakia.

Mr Vladimír Ľupták (born in 1964) graduated in 1987 from the University of Economics in Bratislava (VŠE –
Faculty of Production Sector Management). In 2000-2006 he worked in the railway sector, initially at ŽSR
and after the separation of railway companies at ZSSK Cargo, as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors
and Director of the Economic Department. Later he worked in a company providing economic consultancy
and training services. In 2010 he returned to the railway sector, where he held the function of Chief
Executive Officer of ŽSR.

Source: ŽSR, ZSSK and ZSSK Cargo, May 2012

Transport and Environment News

Turkey: EBRD Strategy on transport focuses on restructuring the rail sector and opening
market

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a strategy for Turkey for the
next 3 years, the bank’s activity focusing on developing sustainable energy, promoting the development of
mid-sized corporates in underdeveloped regions, enhancing the competitiveness of Turkish industry,
supporting privatisation, promoting market approaches toward investment in municipal infrastructure.

According to the strategy, one of the major challenges in the transport sector is restructuring the railway
transport segment, focused on the implementation of structural reforms, the separation of state-owned
railway company and opening access and the importance of developing PPPs at international standards.
Other challenges include the finalization of port privatisation and extension of the intermodal transport
market. Therefore, “in order to answer needs for delivering an efficient transport in several regions, the
bank will continue to support private operators in developing intermodal transport activities with long-run
financing”, the strategy shows.

From the beginning of its activity in Turkey, EBRD has signed for the financing of 55 projects, investments
amounting to EUR 1.6 billion. The total cost of projects is estimated at EUR 5 billion.

Source: EBRD via The Railway Insider, 7 May

To publish your company news in the CER Monitor, please send your press releases in English to evb@cer.be

14 May 2012 Page 15/26

Association News

Xavier Martin joins CER as Legal Advisor

Xavier Martin has joined CER from 2 May on. He is a

qualified lawyer specialised in European and
international law with over 10 years’ experience in
Brussels devoted to EU legal affairs. He previously
worked as Legal Adviser both in the public and
private sector.

Xavier is experienced in a wide number of industry

sectors including Financial Services, Postal &
Telecom. Throughout his career he has advised
numerous blue chip corporations and large financial
services institutions across all asset classes.

Xavier studied Law in The Université Libre de

Bruxelles (Belgium) and holds a post-master degree Xavier Martin
in European Law from the Institut d’Etudes Européennes.

Xavier corresponds in four languages: English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

For more information, please contact Xavier.Martin@cer.be

CER IIG discusses the issue of longer and heavier trains

On 11 May 2012, CER invited the Infrastructure Interest Group (IIG) to an expert meeting about longer and
heavier trains with the aim to collect information and exchange experiences on this issue. Interested
colleagues from France, Hungary, Switzerland, Austria and Germany met in Frankfurt at the DB Netz
Headquarters to present their different approaches and to report about their experiences. Issues like a
common understanding of real train length, experiences concerning the approval process, interesting
routes and feedback with the operation of longer trains were on the agenda. At the end of this meeting it
was common understanding, that there is a need for more discussions on this important issue in the future.
A presentation on this topic will be made at the next Infrastructure Interest Group Meeting in Vienna on
5 June 2012.

For more information, please contact Hans.Besser@cer.be

Meeting of the Working Party “Social aspects of change of PSO railway operators”

In the light of the developing competition in the railway sector – particularly in regional rail transport –
many railway undertakings are concerned with the question of consequences of lost tendering processes for
the employees who performed the service before.

14 May 2012 Page 16/26

The intention of the EU Commission to further opening the domestic passenger markets will also imply
more public competitive tendering processes in the member states. Hence, it is highly relevant for all CER
members providing regional transport services to deal with the topic.

The Working Party “Social aspects of change of PSO railway operators” met in Utrecht last week

The Working Party “Social aspects of change of PSO railway operators” was invited by NS in Utrecht on 10
May for exchanging information about the interpretation of the relevant legislations into the future EC
Guidelines on the application of the PSO regulation as well as to prepare the future discussions with the
European Transport’s Workers Federation on this topic. The European social partners of the rail sector wish
to assess the current situation in Europe about the status of protection of staff in case of change of
operator and see the need of integrated social aspects in tendering process to insure a level playing field.
The social partners have always expressed their wish of avoiding social dumping by creating fair conditions
in a competitive market.

This joint project will bring a broader overview of the situation with practical elements and new views. It
will come up with relevant elements that may be very helpful for the discussion of the Fourth Railway
Package by the European Parliament and the Council.

The proposal of the working party will be discussed by the CER Human Resources Directors Group in Thun
(Switzerland) on 31 May and 1 June before being presented to the plenary meeting of the European Social
Dialogue Committee for Railways on 19 June.

For more information, please contact Jean-Paul.Preumont@cer.be

EuropeTrain successfully completes 163,000 kilometres over 13 runs

To date, EuropeTrain has completed 13 runs totalling 163,000 of the planned 200,000 kilometres. The
remaining 37,000 kilometres will be completed in three runs by September 2012.

The EuropeTrain is a project coordinated by UIC and Deutsche Bahn and is supported by 29 railway
companies, 7 partners from the industry sector as well as CER and EIM.

14 May 2012 Page 17/26

The experts are optimistic after the very positive experiences with EuropeTrain so far, and expect the LL-
block system to perform successfully, both technically and economically.

More information is available at www.europetrain.uic.org

International Level Crossing Awareness Day – official press conference to take place in Paris

UIC and RFF are hosting this year’s International Level Crossing
Awareness Day in Paris on 7 June. The event will be an opportunity for
the 42 participating countries to remind the public of the rules for the
safe use of level crossings and to fight together against risky
behaviour.
ILCAD 2012 will take place on 7 June

98% of accidents at level crossings in France occur due to failure to respect the Highway Code and in
particular due to excessive speed when approaching level crossings, roads with severe bends or risky road
behaviour. In France, RFF records one collision every three days between a road user and a train at level
crossings, but fortunately has noted a slowdown in the number of fatalities at level crossings over the last
decade (around 30 deaths a year). In addition to removing the level crossings with the highest accident risk
probability, RFF has been leading campaigns over the last few years on information, prevention and
sanction with those involved (prefectures, road safety organisations, SNCF, local authorities, townships,
police, gendarmerie).

On 7 June at the headquarters of RFF in Paris, international rail and road stakeholders, behavioural experts
and those involved in prevention will be brought together for the official ILCAD 2012 kick-off during an
international press conference starting at 14.30. The event will also be webstreamed.

CER is an official partner of ILCAD.

More information is available at http://www.ilcad.org/ILCAD-2012,105.html

Source: UIC, 10 May

14 May 2012 Page 18/26

Key European Parliament Dates Place Date

30-31 May
Committee on Transport and Tourism Brussels
18-19 June

29-30 May
Environment Committee Brussels
20-21 June

21-24 May (Stb)

Plenary Strasbourg/Brussels
11-14 June (Stb)

For agendas and background documents please consult:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/calendar.do?language=EN

Key European Council Dates Place Date

7 June 2012
29 October 2012
Transport, (Energy & Telecommunication) Brussels
16-17 July 2012 (informal)
20-21 December 2012

15 May 2012
Economic & Financial Affairs Brussels
22 June 2012

Environment Brussels 11 June 2012

European Council Brussels 28-29 June 2012

For agendas and background documents please consult:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_applications/applications/meetings/getworkingProgram.asp?lang=en&cmsID=368:

14 May 2012 Page 19/26

CER Agenda
Date Place Topic CER contact
23 May Brussels CER Ticketing meeting Jacques Dirand

29 May – 01 June Brussels CER exhibition on infrastructure financing in the Kathrin Obst
European Parliament Agnese Danelon
29-30 May Paris CER/EIM High-Level Infrastructure Meeting Hans Besser
Britta Schreiner
4-5 June Vienna CER Infrastructure Interest Group Meeting Hans Besser
Britta Schreiner
11 June Paris CER Freight Focus Group Jacques Dirand,
Anne-Laure Le Merre
13-14 June Helsinki CER High-Level Passenger Meeting Jacques Dirand
Anne-Laure Le Merre
19 June Brussels European Social Dialogue – plenary meeting Jean-Paul Preumont

19 June Brussels CER/SNCF conference on EU railway policy & social Jean-Paul Preumont
issues
21 June Budapest CER Assistants Meeting Daniel Geraskov

22 June Brussels CER Passenger Working Group Jacques Dirand

Anne-Laure Le Merre
17 September Berlin CER Management Committee and General Assembly Libor Lochman
Daniel Geraskov
25 September Brussels CER Infrastructure Interest Group Meeting Hans Besser
Britta Schreiner
18 October Brussels Working Party Adaptability & Interoperability of the Jean-Paul Preumont
European Social Dialogue Committee for Railways
18 October Brussels Working Party Employability & Equal Opportunities Jean-Paul Preumont
of the European Social Dialogue Committee for
Railways
4 December Brussels CER Infrastructure Interest Group Meeting Hans Besser
Britta Schreiner
5 December Brussels Steering Committee of the European Social Dialogue Jean-Paul Preumont
Committee for Railways
11-12 April 2013 Brussels High Level Freight Meeting Jacques Dirand
Anne-Laure Le Merre

14 May 2012 Page 20/26

CER in the Media

Rail Business: “Diskriminierungsfreier Zugang ist wesentliches Ziel”

14 May

14 May 2012 Page 21/26

Ekapija.ba: Željezničke kompanije iz regiona na zajedničkom sastanku: Drum je najveći
konkurent

12 May

Saradnja željezničkih kompanija u regionu je zadovoljavajuća, ali postoji još dosta prostora i razloga za
njeno unapređenje s ciljem povećanja obima i kvalitete željezničkog saobraćaja, navodi se u zajedničkoj
izjavi koju su jučer u Banjoj Luci potpisali predstavnici sedam željezničkih kompanija s prostora bivše
Jugoslavije.

U izjavi se ističe potreba saradnje u oblasti rekonstrukcije i usaglašavanja strategija razvoja željeznica u
regionu u obnovi postojećih kapaciteta, te zajednički nastup na tržištu prevoza robe i usluga. Istaknuta je i
potreba sinhronizovanog nastupa kod vlada zemalja regiona u vezi s pojednostavljivanjem pograničnih
operacija, te podsticanje razvoja regionalne željezničke industrije.

Dobra saradnja
Direktor Željeznica Republike Srpske Dragan Savanović, koji je bio domaćin susreta direktora željezničkih
kompanija, kazao je da željeznice u ovom regionu nemaju problema u međusobnoj saradnji, naglasivši da
su osnovne potrebe saradnje ogledaju u tome da korisnici usluga željeznica u regionu na jednom mjestu
ugovaraju prevoz kako ne bi morali kontaktirati pojedinačno više željezničkih kompanija.

"Takođe, svim željezničkim kompanijama, ali i državama sa ovog područja, u interesu je da imaju
kvalitetnu željezničku mrežu, s obzirom na to da se posljednjih četrdesetak godina nedovoljno u razvoj,
modernizaciju i primjenu novih tehnologija u željeznički saobraćaj", naglasio je Savanović.

Prema njegovim riječima, neupitna je kompatibilnost regionalnih željeznica, a pored željeznica je

potrebno još da se uključe vlade iz ovog regiona kako bi se mogle obezbijediti investicije. Savanović je
naglasio potrebu da industrija radi u većem kapacitetu, jer je to glavni komitent željeznicama, dok im je
glavni konkurent drum, u koji se ulaže mnogo više nego u željeznice. Iznio je konstataciju po kojoj su
željeznice u regionu ništa ili eventualno vrlo malo naprednije od ŽRS-a.

Rekonstruiranje
Predrag Jokanović, zamjenik generalnog direktora JP Željeznice Srbije, ocijenio je da privatizacija ovih
kompanija ne bi znatno poboljšala stanje u oblasti željezničkog saobraćaja.

"Nama je potrebno restrukturiranje, ali i veća podrška naših vlada kako bi se u oblasti transporta roba,
naročito nate i naftnih derivata, više afirmisao željeznički saobraćaj", kazao je Jokanović.

Generalni direktor Saveza evropskih željeznica i infrastrukturnih kompanija Libor Lohman istakao je da je
ŽRS ključan za razvoj željeznica u ovom regionu i ključnoj je poziciji zbog mogućnosti da spoji transporte
sa područja Jadranskog i Crnog mora prema EU. On je prenio stav EU po kojem se mora investirati u
željeznice, dodajući da će inicijativa za održavanjem ovakvog skupa poboljšati kooperaciju željeznica u
regionu i njihovu transportnu sposobnost.

14 May 2012 Page 22/26

Glas Srpske: Savanović: Inicijativa za bolju saradnju i ulaganje u infrastrukturu

11 May

Banjaluka - Predstavnici željeznica iz regiona na današnjem okruglom stolu iznijeli su inicijativu za bolju
međusobnu saradnju i ulaganje u infrastrukturu, te bolju saradnju na planu pružanja kvalitetnih usluga
komitentima na prostorima jugoistočne Evrope, izjavio je direktor “Željeznica Republike Srpske” Dragan
Savanović, prenose agencije.

On je novinarima rekao da željeznice u regionu nemaju problema u međusobnoj saradnji, naglasivši da se

među osnovne potrebe saradnje ogleda i to da korisnici usluga željeznica u regionu na jednom jestu
ugovaraju prevoz, kako ne bi morali kontaktirati pojedinačno više željezničkih kompanija.

- Takođe, svim željezničkim kompanijama, ali i državama sa ovog područja, je u interesu da imaju
kvalitetnu željezničku mrežu, s obzirom da se posljednjih četrdesetak godina nedovoljno ulaže u razvoj,
modernizaciju i primjenu novih tehnologija u željeznički saobraćaj - naglasio je Savanović.

Prema njegovim riječima, neupitna je kompatibilnost regionalnih željeznica, a pored željeznica potrebno
je još da se uključe vlade iz regiona kako bi se obezbjedile investicije.

Savanović je naglasio potrebu da industrija radi u većem kapacitetu, jer je to glavni komitent
željeznicama, dok im je glavni konkurent drum, u koji se ulaže mnogo više nego u željeznice.

On je dodao da je okrugli sto upriličen povodom 20 godina od formiranja ŽRS i napomenuo da su željeznice
na prostoru BiH prisutne već 140 godina.

Generalni direktor Saveza evropskih željeznica i infrastrukturnih kompanija Libor Lohman istakao je da je
ŽRS ključna za razvoj željeznica u regionu i ključnoj poziciji zbog mogućnosti da spoje transporte sa
područja Jadranskog i Crnog mora prema EU.

On je prenio stav EU po kojem se mora dalje investirati u željeznice, dodajući da će inicijativa za

održavanjem ovakog okruglog stola poboljšati kooperaciju željeznica u regionu i njihovu transportnu
sposobnost.

Željeznice Republike Srpske organizovale su okrugli sto o temi “Unapređenje regionalne saradnje po
pitanju regulisanja saobraćaja”.

14 May 2012 Page 23/26

Railway Insider: Rail passengers’ rights: railways and national enforcement bodies strengthen
cooperation

11 May

More dialogue between railways and national enforcement bodies will allow a smoother implementation of
the Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations (Rail PRR). At a workshop
organised by the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the International
Rail Transport Committee (CIT) on 10 May in Brussels, more than 80 experts from railway undertakings,
national enforcement bodies, European institutions, and other transport stakeholders outlined their
experience with the regulation.

Two and a half years after the entry into force of the Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights
and obligations (Rail PRR), railways and national authorities exchanged views on the implementation of this
regulation in the daily practice. The participants discussed in particular the issue of liability for delay: how
to make sure that passengers’ rights in the event of delay are understood and applied by all rail industry
actors in the same way throughout Europe.

Cesare Brand, CIT General Secretary, said: “The European dimension to the Rail PRR means that the
approach must be at a high-level although taking national differences and the exemptions allowed by EU
Member States into account. The CIT and CER are convinced of the value of interpreting and applying the
Rail PRR across the European Union in the most uniform way possible.”

Libor Lochman, CER Executive Director, stated: “By offering a common discussion platform for railways and
national enforcement bodies, we want to contribute to the quality of the services offered to rail
passengers. That is why we also decided to continue offering all respective actors a useful forum to
exchange ideas and at the same time a unique opportunity to network and make contacts across borders.

14 May 2012 Page 24/26

Transportweekly: Rail passengers’ rights: railways and national enforcement bodies
strengthen cooperation

11 May

More dialogue between railways and national enforcement bodies will allow a smoother implementation of
the Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations (Rail PRR). At a workshop
organised by the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and the International
Rail Transport Committee (CIT) on 10 May in Brussels, more than 80 experts from railway undertakings,
national enforcement bodies, European institutions, and other transport stakeholders outlined their
experience with the regulation. The discussions clearly underlined the importance of a better dialogue
between stakeholders when implementing the European regulation.

Two and a half years after the entry into force of the Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights
and obligations (Rail PRR), railways and national authorities exchanged views on the implementation of this
regulation in the daily practice. The participants discussed in particular the issue of liability for delay: how
to make sure that passengers’ rights in the event of delay are understood and applied by all rail industry
actors in the same way throughout Europe. Based on actual cases, the participants shared their
understanding on some specific issues, for instance on the grounds for relief of liability, the challenge of
cooperating in an increasing competing environment, the procedure of handling passengers’ complaints.
The attendants also drew lessons when comparing the situation to the air sector.

Cesare Brand, CIT General Secretary, said: “The European dimension to the Rail PRR means that the
approach must be at a high-level although taking national differences and the exemptions allowed by EU
Member States into account. The CIT and CER are convinced of the value of interpreting and applying the
Rail PRR across the European Union in the most uniform way possible.”

Libor Lochman, CER Executive Director, stated: “By offering a common discussion platform for railways and
national enforcement bodies, we want to contribute to the quality of the services offered to rail
passengers. That is why we also decided to continue offering all respective actors a useful forum to
exchange ideas and at the same time a unique opportunity to network and make contacts across borders.
We would like to invite today’s participants to continue to discuss the main issues raised today, e.g.
handling of claims, extraordinary circumstances, assistance, in order to find common understanding. In a
year from now, we will be happy to gather again all stakeholders to a second workshop on rail passengers’
rights.”

14 May 2012 Page 25/26

Disclaimer

Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) AISBL

Avenue des Arts 53

B-1000 Brussels
Belgium

Eva Böckle
Press & Communications Manager
Tel +32 2 213 08 90
Fax +32 2 512 52 31
Mobile +32 473 32 20 94
Eva.Boeckle@cer.be

CER Monitor is an internal weekly information service for CER members.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this internal newsletter, CER
cannot be held responsible for any information from external sources, technical inaccuracies, typographical
errors or other errors herein. Information and links may have changed without notice.

14 May 2012 Page 26/26