20.4.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 1101 | (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DIRECTIVE 2001/16/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 March 2001 on the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 156 thereof, Having regard to the Commission proposal (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (?), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: ey In order to enable citizens of the Union, economic operators and regional and local authorities to benefit to the full from the advantages deriving from the establishing of an area without internal frontiers, it is appropriate, in particular, to improve the interlinking and interoperability of the national rail networks as well as access thereto, implementing any measures that may prove necessary in the field of technical standardisation, as provided for in Article 155 of the Treaty. By signing the Protocol adopted in Kyoto on 12 December 1997 the European Union has undertaken to reduce its gas emissions. These objectives require an adjustment to the balance between the various modes of transport, and consequently an increase in the competitiveness of rail transport. O] C 89 E, 28.3.2000, p. 1. O] C 204, 18.7.2000, p. 13. O] C 317, 6.11.2000, p. 22. Opinion of the European Parliament of 17 May 2000 (O] C 59, 23.2.2001, p. 106), Council Common Position of 10 November 2000 (O] C 23, 24.1.2001, p. 15) and Decision of the European Parliament of 13 February 2001. The Council strategy for the integration of the environment and  sustainable development into Community transport policy highlights the need to act to reduce the environmental impact of transport. The commercial operation of trains throughout the trans-European rail network requires in particular excellent compatibility between the characteristics of the infrastructure and those of the rolling stock, as well as efficient interconnection of the information and communication systems of the different infrastructure managers and operators. Performance levels, safety, quality of service and cost depend upon such compatibility and interconnection, as does, in particular, the interoperability of the trans-European conventional rail system. To achieve these objectives an initial measure was taken by the Council on 23 July 1996 with the adoption of Directive 96/48/EC concerning the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system (°). In its White Paper entitled ‘A strategy for revitalising the Community's railways’ in 1996, the Commission announced a second measure in the conventional rail sector and then ordered a study on the integration of national rail systems, the results of which were published in May 1998 with the recommendation of the adoption of a Directive based on the approach taken in the high-speed sector. This study also recommended that, rather than tackling all the obstacles to interoperability head on, problems should be solved gradually according to an order of priority based on the cost-benefit ratio of each proposed measure. In this study the harmonisation of procedures and rules in use and the interconnection of information and communication systems were shown to be more effective than measures, for example, concerning the infrastructure loading gauge. () OJ L 235,17.9.1996, p. 6.