29. 6. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 169/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1893/91 of 20 June 1991 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 on action by Member States concerning the obligations inherent in the concept of a public service in transport by rail, road and inland waterway THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, in particular Article 75 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- ligment ®, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas, while maintaining the principle of the termina- tion of public service obligations, the specific public inte- rest of transport services may warrant the application of the concept of public service in this area; Whereas in compliance with the principle of the commercial independence of transport undertakings, the arrangements for providing transport services should be established in a contract concluded between the com- petent authorities of Member States and the undertaking concerned ; Whereas, for the purposes of supply of certain services or in the interests of certain social categories of passenger, the Member States should retain an option to maintain or impose certain public service obligations ; Whereas it is therefore necessary to amend Regulation - (EEC) No 1191/69 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3572/90 (%), to adapt its scope and to lay down the general rules applicable to public service contracts, () OJ No C 34, 12. 2. 1990, p. 8. () OJ No C 19, 28. 1. 1991, p. 254. () OJ No C 225, 10. 9. 1990, p. 27. () OJ No L 156, 28. 6. 1969, p. 1. () OJ No L 353, 17. 12. 1990, p. 12. HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 Regulation (EEC) No 1191/69 is hereby amended as follows : : ‘ 1. Article 1 shall be replaced by the following: Article 1 1. This Regulation shall apply to transport underta- - kings which operate services in transport by rail, road and inland waterway. Member States may exclude from the scope of this Regulation any undertakings whose activities are confined exclusively to the operation of urban, suburban or regional services. 2. For the purposes of this Regulation : — “urban and suburban services” means transport services meeting the needs of an urban centre or conurbation, and transport needs between it and surrounding areas, — “regional  services” means transport services operated to meet the transport needs of a region. 3. The competent authorities of the Member States shall terminate all obligations inherent in the concept of a public service as defined in this Regulation imposed on transport by rail, road and inland waterway. 4. In order to ensure adequate transport services which in particular take into account social and envi- ronmental factors and town and country planning, or with a view to offering particular fares to certain cate- gories of passenger, the competent authorities of the Member States may conclude public service contracts with a transport undertaking. The conditions and details of operation of such contracts are laid down in Section V.