Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2020)78 - European Year of Rail (2021) - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2020)78 - European Year of Rail (2021). |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2020)78  |
| date | 04-03-2020 |
1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL
• Reasons for and objectives of the proposal
In its Communication of 11 December 2019 1 , the Commission set out a European Green Deal for the European Union and its citizens. This Communication resets the Commission’s commitment to tackling climate and environmental-related challenges that is this generation’s defining task. It is a new growth strategy that aims to transform the Union into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The European Green Deal is an integral part of this Commission’s strategy to implement the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda and the sustainable development goals 2 . The objective of achieving a climate-neutral European Union by 2050 was endorsed by the European Council in its conclusions of 12 December 2019 3 and by the European Parliament in its resolution of 15 January 2020 4 .
The European Green Deal calls in particular for accelerating the shift to sustainable and smart mobility, as transport accounts for a quarter of the Union’s greenhouse gas emissions, and still growing. To achieve climate neutrality, a 90% reduction in transport emissions is needed by 2050. All transport modes will have to contribute to the reduction. As part of the European Green Deal, the Commission announced a strategy for sustainable and smart mobility, to be adopted in 2020, that will address this challenge and tackle all emission sources. Amongst other envisaged actions, a substantial part of the 75% of inland freight carried today by road should shift onto rail and inland waterways.
Rail has to play a significant role in accelerating the reduction in transport emissions, as one of the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transport modes. Indeed, rail is largely electrified and emits far less CO2 than equivalent travel by road or air. It is also the only mode to have almost continuously reduced CO2 emissions since 1990 despite increasing transport volumes: by 2016, it represented only 0.5% of the CO2 emissions from all transport modes. In addition, rail only accounts for 2% of total Union energy consumption in transport, while it carried 11.2% of freight and 6.6% of passengers of all transport modes in 2016 5 . Rail has decreased its energy consumption between 1990-2016 6 and increasingly uses renewable energy sources.
While the share of passenger rail in Union land transport increased from 7.0% to 7.6% between 2007 and 2016, for freight, since the peak in 2011 (19%), the rail share in Union land freight has decreased to 16.65% in 2017 7 . Many obstacles remain to achieve a true Single European Rail Area, including in respect of the need to minimise noise. Overcoming these obstacles together with cost reduction and accelerated innovation will allow rail to realise its full potential. Rail therefore needs a further boost to become more attractive to travellers and businesses as a mean of transport that meets both their daily and more long distance mobility needs. Increasing the share of passengers and freight moving by rail will also contribute to decreasing both congestion and emissions dangerous for human health, in particular air pollution.
The proposal to declare 2021 ‘European Year of Rail’ aims to promote rail transport in line with the objectives set out in the Commission Communication on the European Green Deal, including with regard to sustainable and smart mobility. Through projects, debates, events, exhibitions and initiatives across Europe, the European Year of Rail will promote rail as an attractive and sustainable way to move across Europe, to citizens, business and authorities, emphasising its Union wide and innovative dimension. By reaching out to citizens, beyond the railway sector, through dedicated events and communication campaigns, it will convince more people and businesses to make use of rail.
The year 2021 is an important year for the Union rail policy. It will be the first full year where the rules agreed under the Fourth Railway Package 8 will be implemented throughout the EU, namely on the opening of the market of domestic passenger services and on reducing costs and administrative burden for railway undertakings operating across the EU. There is a growing public interest in railways, including in night trains, in a number of Member States, as also illustrated by the popularity of #DiscoverEU 9 . Moreover, the international arts festival ‘Europalia’ 10 will dedicate its 2021 edition to the influence of railways on the arts and highlight the role of rail as a powerful promotor of social, economic and industrial change. 2021 is therefore considered a very appropriate timing for this initiative.
As with all European Years in the past, the main objective is to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities and highlight the role of the Union in promoting shared solutions. The objective of the European Year of Rail shall be to encourage and support the efforts of the Union, the Member States, regional and local authorities, and other organisations to increase the share of passengers and freight moving by rail. In particular the European Year should promote rail as a sustainable, innovative and safe mode of transport, by reaching out to the wider public, especially the youth. It should also highlight the European, cross-border dimension of rail, that brings citizens closer together, allows them to explore the Union in all its diversity, fosters cohesion and contributes to integrate the Union internal market. It should also enhance the contribution of rail to Union economy, industry and society at large, and promote rail as an important element of the relations between the Union and third countries, in particular in the Western Balkans.
• Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area
As mentioned above, the European Year of Rail will promote rail transport in line with the objectives set out in the Commission Communication on the European Green Deal, including with regard to sustainable and smart mobility. It will also build on existing rail-related initiatives and policies such as opening the market of domestic passenger services and reducing costs and administrative burden for railway undertakings operating across the Union. Similar to other European Years, measures will include information and promotion campaigns, events, projects and initiatives at Union, national, regional and local levels. They will serve to convey key messages and disseminate information about examples of good practice.
The European Year will be an opportunity to encourage Member States authorities and the sector to work together to promote rail transport. Every effort will be made to ensure that the activities organised in the course of the European Year are tailored to meet the needs and circumstances of each Member State. Member States are therefore requested to appoint a national coordinator responsible for organising their participation in the European Year of Rail. A European steering group, including representatives of the national coordinators, will be set up. The Commission shall convene meetings of the national coordinators in order to coordinate the running of the European Year and to exchange information regarding its implementation at national and Union level.
• Consistency with other Union policies
The European Year of Rail has links with other Union policy areas such as regional development, industrial competitiveness, sustainable tourism, innovation, employment, education, youth, culture and accessibility for persons with disabilities, as well as with Union’s ties with its neighbourhood. It will underline the European, cross border dimension of rail, as means to move goods, travel, discover and link the continent together in a sustainable and future-oriented way. Some activities under the European Year could possibly be funded under existing Union programmes, such as Horizon Europe, Connecting Europe Facility, the Union structural and investment funds, Creative Europe, Erasmus+, DiscoverEU or Europe for Citizens.
2. LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY
• Legal basis
The legal basis of the proposal is Article 91 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Indeed, Article 91 provides that, taking into account the distinctive features of transport, the European Parliament and the Council shall, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, lay down any appropriate provisions for the purpose of implementing Article 90 TFEU. Article 90 TFEU states that the objectives of the Treaties shall be pursued within the framework of a common transport policy. The main purpose of the present proposal is to contribute to increasing the share of passengers and freight moving by rail. As such, this objective falls within the ambit of Article 91 TFEU.
• Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)
The present proposal is in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity as provided for in Article 5(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). The objectives of the present proposal cannot be achieved to a sufficient extent solely by action undertaken by the Member States. This is because action at national level alone would not benefit from the European dimension of exchange of experience and good practice between Member States. Article 3(3) TEU states in particular that the European Union shall establish an internal market, work for the sustainable development of Europe based, amongst others, on improvement of the quality of the environment, shall promote scientific and technological advance, and promote economic, social and territorial cohesion. The Union shall pursue its objectives by appropriate means commensurate with the competences which are conferred upon it by the Treaties. In addition, Member States' action would benefit from the action at Union’s level, through greater visibility, multilateral partnerships, transnational exchange of information and Union-wide awareness-raising and dissemination of good practices in the framework of the European Year.
• Proportionality
The present proposal is in conformity with the principle of proportionality as provided for in Article 5 i TEU. The proposed course of action is simple. It relies on existing programmes and on focusing communication activities on the themes of the European Year. It imposes no disproportionate management constraints on administrations implementing the proposal. Union action will support and complement the efforts of Member States and the sector. This action will firstly improve the effectiveness of the Union’s own instruments. Secondly, it will act as an enabler by encouraging synergies and cooperation among Member States, regional and local authorities, private and public enterprises, and civil society at large. Union action would not go beyond what it necessary to address the identified challenges.
• Choice of the instrument
A decision of the European Parliament and of the Council is the most appropriate instrument to ensure the full involvement of the legislative authority in designating 2021 as the European Year of Rail.
3. RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
• Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation
• Stakeholder consultations
The possibility to declare 2021 ‘European Year of Railways’ was discussed on 9 December 2019 with various invited rail sector representatives (CER, UNIFE, EIM, ERFA – Allrail), the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), Shift2Rail and Europalia representatives. All participants expressed broad support for this initiative, emphasising the role of rail in reaching the decarbonisation objective and stressing the cross-border dimension of rail. Stakeholders in the rail sector, especially railway undertakings, station managers, manufacturers and national authorities are expected to take an active part in organising events under the European Year banner, at Union, national and local level. Consultations with the Europalia international arts festival revealed great potential for synergies with the European Year. Both the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions recently adopted own-initiative opinions 11 12 that show their members’ interest in promoting rail as a sustainable and innovative transport mode.
• Collection and use of expertise
• Impact assessment
No impact assessment is needed, since the objectives of the proposed initiative fall within the objectives of existing Union programmes. The proposed initiative would not commit the Commission to any specific actions of a legislative nature. Nor would it have any significant social, economic or environmental impact beyond that of the existing instruments.
• Regulatory fitness and simplification
• Fundamental rights
4. BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS
The necessary financial allocation for the implementation of this Decision for the period 2020-2021 is estimated to be EUR 8,000,000. Implementation of the European Year will involve appropriate funding to be determined in the context of the budgetary procedures for 2020, and 2021 in accordance with the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027.
5. OTHER ELEMENTS
• Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements
The proposal includes an obligation for the Commission to report by 31 December 2022 on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the initiatives covered by the European Year.