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Implementing the PRR in CIT products – a subject of discussion in the CIV Working Group
Regulation (EC) 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights and obligations has entered into force. Its implementation and interpretation raise a number of questions.
Entry into force of the recast of the PRR
Regulation (EC) 2021/782 on rail passengers' rights and obligations (PRR) has now entered into force and is applicable from 7 June 2023.
The work on implementing the revised PRR (PRR 2021) into the CIT's products was carried out by a CIT PRR task force. The members of the CIV working group discussed these proposals, which will mean changes to the AIV and the GCC-CIV/PRR but also to some extent to the MCOOP, AJC and the MIRT. Most of the changes were finalised and the outstanding points will be discussed at the meeting in May 2022. The revised CIT products will then be ready for use before the PRR 2021 applied.
In addition to questions on the implementation of the revised PRR 2021, there is also the matter of how to interpret the terms used in the revised PRR. The recast contains new terms that drew many questions from CIT members. These questions were also discussed at the meeting of the CIV WG.
Discussions on the AJC
Another important discussion topic was the Agreement on Journey Continuation in respect of International Passenger Traffic by Rail (AJC). The AJC was developed with the support of the CER and came into force in 2017. The agreement governs on a voluntary basis the relationships between railway undertakings who take steps to assist international passengers in the event of disruptions to their connections.
As there are various EU initiatives currently underway aimed at making cross-border travel easier for passengers, the discussion of the AJC was a timely one for the CIV Working Group.
An exchange of views about the scope of the AJC and the possibility of a customer-friendly improvement to the agreement was initiated and these discussions will be continued in greater depth later this year.
Legal ramifications of the Universal Rail Ticket
The UIC is currently working on the Universal Rail Ticket (URT), which will allow a single ticket layout with a flexible barcode to be used for several tickets. Some members of the CIV WG expressed the wish for a more detailed study of the legal implications of the URT, in particular with regard to the issuing of through tickets. A special meeting was convened to discuss this on 6 April. The aim of that particular meeting was to examine more closely whether all the individual components of the URT are legally compliant.
The CIT GS will inform the UIC of the findings (recommendations) on the URT.
Next meetings on the subject of passenger traffic
The next meeting of the CIV WG will be held on 17 and 18 May in Bern and online. The CIV Committee will meet in Bern on 27 September 2022.