The Chamber of Deputies approved, in general and specific terms, the draft decree presented by the federal government, which will give it greater control over the railway sector and create the Integrated Trains and Public Transport Agency (ATTRAPI).
On April 29, the Plenary Session approved amendments to the Railway Service Regulations, the Federal Public Administration Organic Law, the Federal Roads, Bridges, and Motor Transport Law, the General Communication Routes Law, and the General Law on National Assets.
The ruling, the result of an initiative presented by the President of the Republic, was approved in general with 440 votes in favor, and in particular with 449 in favor, one against, and zero abstentions, and was therefore referred to the Senate for constitutional review.
“It seeks to reactivate and strengthen the national railway system, expanding its traditional function of freight transportation to the consolidation of a public passenger transportation service, as well as promoting the economic, productive, and tourist integration of the country’s different regions, providing the population with an efficient, safe, environmentally friendly, accessible, and modern means of transportation,” the deputies reiterated.
The initiative also establishes a robust legal framework that provides legal certainty to both users and concessionaires, ensuring the proper development of strategic railway projects for the country’s growth and competitiveness.
While ATTRAPI, a decentralized agency with legal personality, its own assets, and technical and management autonomy assigned to the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , will have specific powers for the construction, conservation, and maintenance of railway and multimodal infrastructure in the country. It will also grant, modify, and revoke permits and authorizations in this area, promote public and private investment in the sector, and coordinate with other federal, state, and municipal government agencies and entities to promote the development of this system.
Meanwhile, the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) will be responsible for regulating, promoting, monitoring, and verifying the construction, operation, maintenance, and maintenance of railway infrastructure, as well as the provision of public railway transport services and their auxiliary services. It will also guarantee interconnection on railways when they are general communication routes and will promote the interconnection of railway terminals with multimodal operations and impose sanctions for violations.
The initiative also updates references to the current name of the SICT and modifies the sanctions and compensation parameters, replacing the minimum wage with the Unit of Measurement and Update. These measures are appropriate for providing legal certainty and updating legal instruments in accordance with current regulations, among other things.
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