Rail transport statistics: collection of data on goods, passengers and accidents

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the recommendation for second reading contained in the report by Michael CRAMER (Greens/EFA, DE) on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 91/2003 on rail transport statistics, as regards the collection of data on goods, passengers and accidents.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to approve the Council position at first reading without amendment.

The explanatory statement accompanying the recommendation recalled the Parliament’s priorities:

• extend the scope of the Regulation on rail transport statistics to cover data on infrastructure, in particular on European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) deployment, which was one of the priorities of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T);
• Eurostat should make available statistical data on barrier-free stations accessible to persons with reduced mobility and disabled persons as well as on the use of cross-border rail infrastructures;
• statistics on rail accidents should be maintained within the scope of the Regulation and even extended to cover accidents and incidents involving the transport of dangerous goods and accidents involving level crossings;
• Eurostat and the European Railway Agency should closely cooperate in improving statistics on rail accidents and in particular ensure the methodological consistency with regard to accident data on other modes of transport;
• EU citizens should have an easy access - as a one-stop shop - to data related to the implementation of EU policies.

The Council and Parliament agreed that the most efficient and cost-effective way to avoid duplication of work between Eurostat, the Commission and the European Railway Agency (ERA) was to reinforce cooperation between these institutions and ensure that statistical data related to EU policies are easily accessible to EU citizens and stakeholders.

An agreement on a simplification of the Regulation on rail transport statistics was only possible after the signature of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Eurostat and the Commission (27/04/2016) and between Eurostat and ERA (12/05/2016).

These MoUs are not only important instruments towards optimisation of the use of existing information and reduction of administrative burden, but would also satisfy requirements raised by the co-legislators as regards the better use of rail transport statistics. They would provide all categories of users with easily accessible data and reliable information on the progress of European policies in the rail sector.