Combined goods transport: financial assistance to action pilots PACT

The ESC endorses the proposed regulation concerning the granting of Community financial assistance for actions to promote combined goods transport but calls on the Commission to amend it so as to: - clarify unsatisfactory and incomplete definitions; - specify which activities are/are not eligible for the proposed subsidies; - ensure effective arrangements for monitoring the implementation and management of the approved projects. In addition, in pointing out that the new PACT programme's provision for 30% financial assistance for certain types of action could generate unfair competition, the ESC feels that it is vital for this programme also to be open to small enterprises. It also stresses the need to press on with the far-reaching organizational and structural reform of Community railways set in motion under Council Directive 91/440 (EC) of 29 July 1991 and the two implementing texts 95/18 and 95/19, with particular reference to making access to European railways easier for private operators. Lastly, the ESC underlines the importance of listening to transport users as well as to service operators and other suppliers so as to remove both financial and legal barriers and further promote combined transport. �