Decision (EU) 2020/1531 empowering France to negotiate, sign and conclude an international agreement supplementing the Treaty between France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the Construction and Operation by Private Concessionaires of a Channel Fixed Link

What it is

to empower France to negotiate an agreement supplementing its existing bilateral Treaty with the United Kingdom concerning the construction and operation by private concessionaires of a Channel Fixed Link. PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of 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 Treaty between France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the construction and operation by concessionnaires of a Channel Fixed Link, signed at Canterbury on 12 February 1986 established an Intergovernmental Commission to supervise all matters concerning the construction and operation of the Channel Fixed Link. The European Parliament adopted by 687 votes to 3, with 4 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council empowering France to negotiate an agreement supplementing its existing bilateral Treaty with the United Kingdom concerning the construction and operation by private concessionaires of a Channel Fixed Link. The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure by amending the Commission proposal as follows. The Intergovernmental Commission is the national safety authority within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/798, responsible for the Channel fixed link. After the end of the transition period provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the Intergovernmental Commission shall become a body established by an international agreement between a Member State, namely France, and a third country, namely the United Kingdom. Unless otherwise provided for in an international agreement binding the United Kingdom, it shall no longer be a national security authority under Union law, which shall no longer apply to the part of the Channel fixed link under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom. Consequently, the proposed Decision defines the conditions under which France is authorised to negotiate, sign and conclude an international agreement with the United Kingdom, supplementing the Treaty of Canterbury, concerning the construction and operation by private concessionary companies of a cross-Channel fixed link with regard to the application of railway safety rules on the Channel fixed link, in order to maintain a unified safety regime. Such an international agreement shall enter into force after the end of the transitional period. The international agreement shall comply with a number of conditions. The amended text specifies in this respect that in order to maintain a unified safety regime on the whole Channel fixed link, the Intergovernmental Commission shall ensure the application, as regards the Channel fixed link, of the provisions of Union law, as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the European Union in relation to the tasks of the national safety authorities within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/798. France shall keep the Commission regularly informed about its…

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