EC Scolds 21 EU Members Over Failed Railway Reforms

The states involved are Romania, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia and Slovakia, according to a press release issued by the EU Executive.

"Following the reasoned opinions sent today, Member States should go further in the reform of their railway systems, for the benefit of both railway undertakings and consumers," the EC writes.

Previously, in June 20080, the Commission sent similar letters to 24 member states, but three of them have changed their national regulations to align with community legislation.

The letters contain reasoned observations of the EC regarding the organization and regulation of railway systems in member states, underlining the main "shortcomings" noted in the countries that failed to align with EU legislation.

One of the main issues signaled by the EC is "the lack of independence of the infrastructure manager in relation to railway operators".

Other important issues approached in the documents sent include "insufficient implementation of the provisions of the Directive on track access charging, such as the absence of a performance regime to improve the performance of the railway network, the lack of incentives for the infrastructure manager to reduce costs and charges and of tariff systems based on the direct costs of rail services" and "the failure to set up an independent regulatory body with the necessary powers to remedy competition problems in the railway sector."

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