No L 143/70 Official Journal of the European Communities 27. 6. 95 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 95/18/EC of 19 June 1995 on the licensing of railway undertakings THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 75 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189¢c of the Treaty (), Whereas the single market shall comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured ; Whereas the principle of the freedom to provide services should be applied to the railway sector, taking into account that sector’s specific characteristics ; Whereas Council Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the Community’s railways () provides for certain access rights in international rail transport for railway undertakings and international grou- pings of railway undertakings ; Whereas, in order to ensure that access rights to railway infrastructure are applied throughout the Community on a uniform and non-discriminatory basis, it is appropriate to introduce a licence for railway undertakings providing the services referred to in Article 10 of Directive 91/440/EEC; Whereas it is appropriate to maintain the scope of Direc- tive 91/440/EEC, including the exceptions made in it for regional, urban and suburban services and whereas it should be specified that transport activities in the form of shuttle services through the Channel Tunnel are also excluded from the scope of that Directive ; Whereas a licence issued by a Member State should accor- dingly be recognized as valid throughout the Commu- nity ; (') OJ No C 24, 28. 1. 1994, p. 2 and OJ No C 225, 13. 8. 1994, 9 ® %pinion delivered on 14 September 1994 (O] No C 393, 31. 12. 1994, p. 56). ' (*} Opinion of the European Parliament of 3 May 1994 (OJ No C 2085, 25. 7. 1994, p. 38), Council Common Position of 21 November 1994 (O] No C 354 of 13.12. 1994, p. 11) and De- cision of the European Parliament of 14 March 1995 (O] No C 89, 10. 4. 1995, p. 30). (4 OJ No L 237, 24. 8. 1991, p. 25. Whereas Community conditions for access to or transit via railway infrastructure will be regulated by other provi- sions of Community law; Whereas, having regard to the principle of subsidiarity and in order to ensure the requisite uniformity and trans- parency, it is appropriate that the Community lay down the broad principles of such a licensing system, leaving to Member States the responsibility for the granting and the administration of licences; Whereas, in order to ensure dependable and adequate services, it is necessary to ensure that railway undertakings meet at any time certain requirements in relation to good repute, financial fitness and professional competence ; Whereas for the protection of customers and third parties concerned it is important to ensure that railway under- takings are sufficiently insured or have made equivalent arrangements in respect of liability risks; Whereas the suspension and revocation of licences and the granting of temporary licences should also be dealt with in this context; Whereas a railway undertaking will also be required to comply with national and Community rules on the provi- sion of railway services, applied in a non-discriminatory manner, which are intended to ensure that it can carry on its activity in complete safety on specific stretches of track ; Whereas, in order to ensure the efficient operation of international rail transport, it is necessary that railway undertakings respect the agreements in force in this field ; Whereas, finally, the procedures for the granting, mainte- nance and amendment of operating licences to railway undertakings should reflect a general desire for transpa- rency and non-discrimination, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: SECTION 1 Objective and Scope Article 1 1. This Directive concerns the criteria applicable to the issue, renewal or amendment of licences by a Member State intended for railway undertakings which are or will