Directive 2004/51 - Amendment of Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the EC's railways

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1.

Current status

This directive was in effect from April 30, 2004 until June 16, 2015 and should have been implemented in national regulation on December 31, 2005 at the latest.

2.

Key information

official title

DIRECTIVE 2004/51/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 29 April 2004 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways
 
Legal instrument Directive
Number legal act Directive 2004/51
Original proposal COM(2002)25 EN
CELEX number i 32004L0051

3.

Key dates

Document 29-04-2004
Publication in Official Journal 30-04-2004; Special edition in Croatian: Chapter 07 Volume 004,Special edition in Slovenian: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Czech: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Polish: Chapter 07 Volume 008,OJ L 164, 30.4.2004,Special edition in Maltese: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Hungarian: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Latvian: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Bulgarian: Chapter 07 Volume 014,Special edition in Romanian: Chapter 07 Volume 014,Special edition in Lithuanian: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Slovak: Chapter 07 Volume 008,Special edition in Estonian: Chapter 07 Volume 008
Effect 30-04-2004; Entry into force Date pub. See Art 3
End of validity 16-06-2015; Repealed by 32012L0034
Transposition 31-12-2005; At the latest See Art 2

4.

Legislative text

30.4.2004   

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 164/164

 

DIRECTIVE 2004/51/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 29 April 2004

amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 71(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2),

Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (4) in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 23 March 2004,

Whereas:

 

(8)

Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 (5) provides that licensed railway undertakings are granted rights of access to the trans-European Rail Freight Network and, at the latest from 2008, to the whole network for international rail freight services.

 

(9)

The extension of those access rights to international rail freight services on the whole network as from 1 January 2006 should lead to greater than expected gains in terms of modal shift and the development of international rail freight.

 

(10)

The extension of those access rights to all kinds of rail freight services as from 1 January 2007, in accordance with the principle of freedom to provide services, would improve the efficiency of the rail mode relative to other modes of transport. It would also facilitate sustainable transport between and within Member States, by encouraging competition and allowing entry of new capital and enterprises.

 

(4)

This Directive is part of a comprehensive set of measures announced by the White Paper on transport policy and encompassing Directive 2004/ /EC on safety on the Community's railways (Railway Safety Directive) (6), Directive 2004/ /EC amending the interoperability directives (7) and Regulation (EC) No /2004 establishing the European Railway Agency (Agency Regulation) (8). This set of measures, referred to as the “second railway package”, was adopted to further develop the Community regulatory framework in the field of railways, as established in particular by Directives 2001/12/EC (9),2001/13/EC (10) and 2001/14/EC (11), these latter Directives being referred to as the “first railway package”. In order to complete the regulatory framework and pursue the effort to realise an integrated European railway area, the Commission proposed on 3 March 2004 a third set of measures that will further contribute to the objective of this Directive. This proposed third step addresses train drivers licensing, quality of service for rail freight transport, passenger rights in international railway transport and market-opening for international passenger transport services by rail. The European Parliament voted already in October 2003 in this legislative procedure on an amendment aiming at the market-opening for all passenger transport services by 2008. The European Parliament and the Council agreed to examine diligently the third set of measures. With regard to market-opening for international passenger transport services, the date of 2010 proposed by the Commission has to be considered as an objective allowing all operators to prepare in an appropriate manner.

 

(5)

The Commission should study developments in traffic, safety, working conditions and the situation of operators and should produce, by 1 January 2006, a report on those developments accompanied, where appropriate, by fresh proposals providing a basis for the best possible conditions for the Member States' economies, for rail undertakings and their employees, and for rail users.

 

(6)

Rail freight services offer considerable...


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This text has been adopted from EUR-Lex.

5.

Original proposal

 

6.

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