As part of EDF’s campaign on the Rail Passengers’ Rights Regulation (1371/2007) which is currently under revision, we published a joint statement with the European Passengers’ Federation, AGE Platform Europe, and the European Cyclists’ Federation to call on the Council to improve the Regulation.
Following a rather positive proposal from the Commission and from the European Parliament, the Council is now risking to weaken the Regulation significantly. For persons with disabilities, it is especially on the pre-notification time for assistance at railway stations that we could achieve progress but the Council is not planning on including this in their position.
For passengers’ in general there are also other issues such as general exemptions for local, regional, and suburban trains and compensation for delays and cancellations. EDF joined forces with the other associations to speak with one voice and underline that persons with disabilities are also passengers like everyone else who will be affected by the changes in the Regulation.
A position by the Council, also called “General Approach”, is expected to be adopted on 21 November. Following the adoption the next stage of the decision-making procedure will be the Trilogues, which are informal negotiations among the Commission, the Parliament, and the Council.
Read the full text of the statement here or download it below.