The European Parliament adopted by 618 votes to 0, with 6 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2019/501 and (EU) 2019/502 as regards their periods of application.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading, in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, taking over the Commission proposal.

In order to prepare for the possibility that the United Kingdom could withdraw from the Union without an agreement, the proposal aims to extend the validity period of Regulations (EU) 2019/501 and (EU) 2019/502 by 7 months, in order to ensure basic connectivity for road freight and passenger transport, and basic air transport connectivity, between the Union and the United Kingdom.

Regulation (EU) 2019/501 would thus cease to apply on 31 July 2020 rather than on 31 December 2019. The proposal also defines the period during which cabotage services in the field of road passenger transport may be provided in the border region of Ireland as a six-month period starting from the date of application of that Regulation. This rule should replace the current reference to the end date of application of 30 September 2019.

Regulation (EU) 2019/502 would cease to apply no later than 24 October 2020, to coincide with the last day of the IATA summer season of 2020.

The proposed Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and should apply from the day following that on which the Treaties cease to apply to the United Kingdom. However, it should not apply if a withdrawal agreement concluded with the United Kingdom has entered into force by that date.

PURPOSE: to amend certain provisions relating to the period of application of two existing regulations in order to ensure basic connectivity for road freight and passenger transport in the case of a Brexit without a withdrawal agreement.

PROPOSED ACT: Regulation 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: in order to prepare for the possibility that the United Kingdom could withdraw from the Union without an agreement on 30 March 2019, Regulation (EU) 2019/501 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EU) 2019/502 of the European Parliament and of the Council were adopted to ensure basic road freight and road passenger and basic air connectivity between the Union and the United Kingdom.

Regulation (EU) 2019/501 and Regulation (EU) 2019/502 shall cease to apply on 31 December 2019 and 30 March 2020 respectively.

Following a request from the United Kingdom, the European Council agreed to further extend the deadline provided for in Article 50(3) of the TEU until 31 October 2019. In order to address the impact of the new timeline for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Union, the period of application of those Regulations should be extended, taking into account the core principles underlying contingency measures and their originally intended periods of application.

CONTENT: this proposal aims to extend the period of validity of Regulations (EU) 2019/501 and (EU) 2019/502 by seven months, which corresponds to the duration of the extension of the period referred to in Article 50(3) of the TEU. Therefore, it is proposed that Regulation (EU) 2019/501 should cease to apply on 31 July 2020 rather than on 31 December 2019.

In addition, in order to ensure that the option provided for in Article 2(3)(d) of Regulation (EU) 2019/501 is available for a meaning period of the same order as that initially provided for, it is necessary to define the period during which cabotage services in the field of road passenger transport may be provided in the border region of Ireland as a six-month period starting from the date of application of that Regulation. This rule should replace the current reference to the date of cessation of application of 30 September 2019.

As regards Regulation (EU) 2019/502, the proposal sets 24 October 2020, the end of IATA's 2020 summer season, as the date of cessation of its application. The 12-month period of application initially envisaged would thus be preserved.