Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council
The Third Railway Legislation Amendment Act of 27 April 2005 assigned the task of monitoring compliance with the legal provisions concerning access to the railway infrastructure to the Bundesnetzagentur for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway with effect from 1 January 2006. In addition, section 4(4) of the Federal Railway Administration Act requires a special advisory council to be established with the Bundesnetzagentur to deal with rail infrastructure access issues (Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council). The Council consists of nine members of the German Bundestag and nine representatives of the German Bundesrat. The representatives of the German Bundesrat shall be members or political representatives of the government of a federal state. The members and deputy members of the Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council are appointed by the federal government upon the proposal of the German Bundestag and the German Bundesrat.
Under section 35 of the General Railways Act (AEG) the Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council is tasked with providing guidance for the Bundesnetzagentur in discharging its duties, drawing up its report under section 14b(4) of the AEG, and making proposals on the focus of its activities. It is authorised to obtain information and opinions from the Bundesnetzagentur. The Bundesnetzagentur has a duty to provide information.
Members
The Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council consists of nine members of the German Bundestag and nine representatives of the German Bundesrat; the Bundesrat representatives must be members or political representatives of the government of a federal state. The members and deputy members of the Rail Infrastructure Advisory Council are appointed by the federal government upon the proposal of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.