Government proposes amendments to data provisions of the Act on Transport Services
On 24 October 2024, the Government submitted to Parliament a proposal to amend the data provisions of the Act on Transport Services. The proposal concerns individual amendments that are needed, for example, due to EU regulation.
The proposal concerning data regulation was put forward to achieve the objectives of the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government to enhance the functioning of the transport services market and to promote the digitalisation and automation of transport and logistics. The proposal introduces national regulation specifying EU regulations.
New duties to be assigned to Transport and Communications Agency and Transport Infrastructure Agency
The proposal would supplement and specify the EU Regulations on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (the so-called AFIR Regulation) and on electronic freight transport information (the so-called eFTI Regulation). The proposal would lay down provisions on the organisation of national information exchange systems required by the Regulations.
With regard to the AFIR Regulation, it is proposed that the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom be designated as the identification registration organisation referred to in the Regulation. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency would be responsible for the national access point that makes available data on publicly accessible recharging and refuelling infrastructure.
With regard to the eFTI Regulation, it is proposed that the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency act as the national contact point for the exchange of electronic freight transport information.
Traffic Management Company Fintraffic Ltd could provide the information services relating to the national contact points.
The proposal also includes technical amendments to the provisions on the interoperability of ticket and payment systems, on disclosure of information from the transport register and on Transport and Communications Agency’s option to publish on its website contact information related to the activities of certain persons exercising public authority. In this context, persons exercising public authority would mainly refer to transport physicians and psychologists working with various forms of transport or to persons receiving and approving professional competence tests.
What’s next?
A referral debate on the Government proposal now submitted to Parliament will be held in a Parliament plenary session. The date of the session will be announced on the Parliament website (upcoming plenary sessions).
After the referral debate, the proposal will be taken to the Parliamentary Committee. Once the Committee’s report is ready, the processing of the matter will continue in a plenary session.
Inquiries:
Kirsi Miettinen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Legislative Affairs, tel. +358 29 534 2570, [email protected]