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New PRR, AJC and TSI revision as main challenges addressed by the 59th meeting of the CIV Working Group (CIV WG)
The new Passenger Rights Regulation (PRR), further steps regarding the Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC) and TSI revision were some of the highlights of the last CIV Working Group, which was chaired by Oliver Hirschfeld (DB) on 22 November 2023 in Bern and in remote form.
New PRR still in focus
The new PRR (Regulation (EU) No 2021/782 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations) remains a key concern for CIT’s members; the law has been applicable since 7 June this year. The overview of the Q & A in respect of the new regulation is now available on the CIT website. During the meeting it was pointed out that the sector is still awaiting an implementing regulation establishing a common form for reimbursement and compensation rules as newly required by the law in this field.
Other legislative activities at EU level were also discussed during the meeting, such as Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS), the future of which is currently unclear, Multimodal Travel Information Services (MMTIS), revision of the passenger rights regulatory framework (including the revision of rail PRR) within the Mobility Package, revision of the Package Travel Directive, the European Disability Card Directive, “capacity regulation”, etc.
Enhancements of the Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC)
The AJC represents an important sector-driven contribution to enhancing a passenger's travel experience. The AJC belongs to action point 8 of the CER Ticketing Roadmap for better support of passengers during disruptions and delays.
CIT committed to improve communication about the AJC in order to increase the transparency of information on this agreement. For this reason, CIT has been working with the European Passenger Federation (EPF) to create an information leaflet on the AJC, which once finalised will contain concise, clear, and customer-friendly information. A representative of the EPF also took part in the discussions on this leaflet during the meeting. CIT and the EPF believe that they will soon find a joint solution for this leaflet to benefit both passengers and railway undertakings.
Important developments in the field of TSI Telematics
In the afternoon session, participants in the CIV Working Group were given an overview of the current status of the TSI revision. Despite the fact that ERA already sent its recommendation on the revised TAP (and TAF) TSIs in 2022, the European Commission recently published a non-paper draft of the merged version of the TSI, where both TAP and TSI is integrated into one law. The aim is to harmonise requirements for freight and passenger services and strengthen the governance of all TSI processes, including implementation, monitoring and enforcement. The Commission’s intention is to have the final text of the new TSI on the agenda of the RISC committee in June 2024 for voting.
The meeting concluded by inviting members to attend the next CIV WG meeting, the 60th, which will be held on 21 - 22 February 2024 in Bern and in remote form.
jan.vavra(at)cit-rail.org