Transport of dangerous goods by railway

PREVIOUS POSITION OF EP: Parallel proposals have come forward for road transport as in Measure A - COM(93)0548 final/2 - SYN 477 and Measure B COM (93)0665 final - SYN 487. These are intended to control (A by harmonising legislation and B by imposing standard checks) the transport of Dangerous Goods by Road. The Parliament as advised by the Committee discussed and amended them both at first reading under the Cooperation Procedure on the 3rd of May. The Commission prepared an amended proposal for Mesure A (legislation) as in COM(94)0238 on the 2nd of June and an amended proposal for Measure B (checks) as in COM(94)0340 on the 29th of July. Transport Council reached a Common Position on Measure A on 13 June and a Common Position on Measure B on 26 September 1994. The Committee will discuss its recommendations for the second reading of Measure A at the October part-session on 10-11 October, with a view towards the Council being able to adopt the measure in November. SITUATION IN THE MEMBER STATES: all the Community Member-States (plus 22 other states) were at 1 January 1993 signed up to the RID. RID stands for the International Regulations concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail, whose text is drawn up by the United Nations Committee of Experts (CoE). RID is Annex 1 of Uniform rules concerning the contract for international carriages of goods by rail (CIM) which is itself Appendix B to the Convention concerning international carriage by rail, or COTIF. In the Member-States the regulations are monitored by the relevant Transport Ministries and national rail transport undertakings and where appropriate by inspectorates of railways.