The Council of the European Union's Working Party on Transport - Intermodal Questions and Networks is scheduled to meet on 16 July 2026 in Brussels to advance technical scrutiny of two Commission proposals on rail ticketing and passenger protection. The meeting, set for 09:30 at the LEX Building, will conduct article-by-article examinations of a proposed regulation on rail ticketing (document ST 9348/26) and a proposal amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1782 on protection of passengers with single tickets (document ST 9306/26). A third agenda item features a Commission presentation on interlinkages across the Passenger package and with other relevant Union legislation. The session, held in a 2+2 format, marks the first recorded technical examination of these files in the Council preparatory bodies, with no prior coverage of this specific meeting or the underlying proposals in recent months. The Working Party's discussions will focus on the detailed provisions of both texts, aiming to identify technical issues and member state positions before the proposals advance to higher-level Council formations.
Stakeholders impacted include rail operators, who face new compliance requirements for integrated ticketing and passenger compensation; passengers, who stand to benefit from simplified booking and stronger protection for single-ticket journeys; national regulators, who will enforce the new rules; and the European Commission, which seeks to harmonise rail passenger rights across the EU. The meeting's outcome will inform the Council's position ahead of negotiations with the European Parliament.