Date: 2020-06-30Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Decision No 1/2020 of the Community/Switzerland Inland Transport Committee of 19 June 2020 aligning Decision No 2/2019 with the dates of transposition, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, of Directives (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council [2020/896]
**Policy Summary:**
Decision No 1/2020 of the Community-Switzerland Inland Transport Committee, adopted on June 19, 2020, aligns Decision No 2/2019 with the revised transposition dates of Directives (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2016/798. These directives concern the interoperability of the rail system and railway safety within the European Union, respectively. The original transposition dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reflected in Directive (EU) 2020/700.
Specifically, Decision No 1/2020 amends Article 7 of Decision No 2/2019 to extend the application of Article 21 and/or Article 31 of Joint Committee Decision No 1/2013 until October 31, 2020, for Member States that have notified the Agency and the Commission pursuant to Article 57(2a) of Directive (EU) 2016/797 or Article 33(2a) of Directive (EU) 2016/798.
The decision entered into force on the date of its adoption. The legal basis for this decision is the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the carriage of goods and passengers by rail and road, particularly Article 52(4) thereof.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
Swiss Confederation: The formal name of Switzerland, a country in Europe.
COVID19 pandemic: The global pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease 2019.
European Parliament: The parliamentary assembly of the European Union.
Council of the European Union: A body composed of government ministers from each EU member state.
Directive EU 2016/797: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union.
Directive EU 2016/798: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on railway safety.
Bern: The de facto capital of Switzerland.
30.6.2020 E N O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Union L 206/65
ACTS ADOPTED BY BODIES CREATED BY
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
DECISION No 1/2020 OF THE COMMUNITY/SWITZERLAND INLAND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
of 19 June 2020
aligning Decision No 2/2019 with the dates of transposition, postponed due to the COVID-19
pandemic, of Directives (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the
Council [2020/896]
THE COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on the carriage of goods
and passengers by rail and road(1) (‘the Agreement’), and in particular Article 52(4) thereof,
Whereas:
Joint Committee Decision No 2/2019 of 13 December 2019(2) aims to maintain smooth rail traffic between Switzerland
and the European Union, in accordance with the requirements set out in Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European
Parliament and of the Council(3) and Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council(4). Due to
the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Parliament and the Council have
postponed the dates of transposition of Directives (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2016/798 by adopting Directive (EU)
2020/700(5). Joint Committee Decision No 2/2019 should be aligned with the dates of transposition as amended by that
Directive,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The following new paragraph 2a is inserted in Article 7 of Decision No 2/2019 of the Community/Switzerland Inland
Transport Committee of 13 December 2019:
‘2a. Article 2(1) and/or Article 3(1) of Joint Committee Decision No 1/2013 shall continue to apply until 31 October
2020 for Member States that have notified the Agency and the Commission pursuant to Article 57(2a) of
Directive (EU) 2016/797 or Article 33(2a) of Directive (EU) 2016/798.’
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
(1) OJ L 114, 30.4.2002, p. 91.
(2) OJ L 13, 17.1.2020, p. 43.
(3) Directive (EU) 2016/797 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the interoperability of the rail system
within the European Union (OJ L 138, 26.5.2016, p. 44).
(4) Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on railway safety (OJ L 138, 26.5.2016,
p. 102).
(5) Directive (EU) 2020/700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 2020 amending Directives (EU) 2016/797 and (EU)
2016/798, as regards the extension of their transposition periods (OJ L 165, 27.5.2020, p. 27).L 206/66 E N O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Union 30.6.2020
Done at Bern, 19 June 2020.
For the Swiss Confederation For the European Union
The President The Head of the European Union Delegation
Peter FÜGLISTALER Elisabeth WERNER