Decision (EU) 2020/854 empowering Italy to negotiate and conclude an agreement with Switzerland authorising cabotage operations in the course of the provision of international road passenger transport services by coach and bus in the border regions between the two countries

What it is

to empower Italy to amend its existing bilateral road transport agreement with Switzerland with a view to authorising cabotage operations in the course of international road passenger transport services by coach and bus in the border regions between the two countries. PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and the Council. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council. BACKGROUND: the two-way carriage of passengers and goods by road between Switzerland and the EU is regulated by the Land Transport Agreement between the EU and Switzerland ('EU Agreement'). The European Parliament adopted by 678 votes to 1, with 12 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council empowering Italy to negotiate and conclude an agreement with Switzerland authorising cabotage operations in the course of international road passenger transport services by coach and bus in the border regions between the two countries. The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure. It requested that the decision be based on Article 91 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The proposed decision would empower Italy to negotiate and conclude an agreement with Switzerland authorising cabotage operations in the border regions of Italy and Switzerland in the course of the provision of road passenger transport services by coach and bus between the two countries, provided that there is no discrimination between carriers established in the Union and no distortion of competition. Cabotage transport would be allowed only in the border regions of Italy specified in the text of the proposed decision - the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy and the autonomous regions of Valle d'Aosta and Trentino-Alto Adige - for the provision of coach and bus services between Italy and Switzerland. This would strengthen the close integration of these border regions. The proposed decision follows a request from Italy sent on 7 February 2018 and concerns only this Member State.

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