The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Will Only Be Optimised If There Is Modern, Interoperable Rolling Stock
The proposed strategic investment in rail infrastructure in the recently announced Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grants will only be optimised if there are modern, interoperable trains that can use it. However, modern, interoperable trains come with very high acquisition and upgrading costs. Therefore, it is crucial that the EU enables sufficient non-discriminatory funding to support the implementation of the latest interoperability technologies.
EU state aid rule changes aim to simplify support for sustainable transport
Armand DUTHIL of ALLRAIL said "there are some very promising elements", including "long overdue guarantees" for SMEs buying or leasing rolling stock. However, ALLRAIL has concerns about freight PSOs and the rules potentially allowing operational aid for incumbents starting new services.
ALLRAIL’s Salim Benkirane took part in the 24th Florence Rail forum on the revision of the railway state guidelines
The Forum was co-organised by the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation together with the European Commission’s Directorate-General (DG) for Competition.
España: El ministro de Transportes afirma: El actual modelo de liberalización “beneficia a cualquier cosa menos a la libre competencia”
España es presentada por algunos como un ejemplo en Europa de los beneficios de la apertura del transporte ferroviario de pasajeros. Sin embargo, el nuevo ministro socialista de Transportes, Óscar Puente, dijo recientemente en el Congreso de los Diputados que este modelo de liberalización - en el que solo compiten entre sí las compañias estatales - tiene "efectos perjudiciales" ya que sus pérdidas "tendrán el colchón del Estado para cubrirlas".
Spain: Transport Minister says: Current Market Opening Model “Benefits Anything but Free Competition”
Spain is portrayed by some as an example of the benefits of passenger rail opening in Europe. However, Spain's new centre-left Transport Minister Óscar Puente recently said in parliament that this liberalisation model - in which only state incumbents compete with each other - has “damaging effects” because their losses will "have the cushion of the state to cover them”.