Brussels, 21/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 24 September, at the conference on railway reform organised by the Commission in Brussels, Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas will give details of his intentions regarding rail network management. This is a key chapter of the fourth rail package to be presented by Kallas between now and the end of the year as it relates to separating the management of the rail network and transport companies. While a preliminary opinion from the advocate general of the Court of Justice has disavowed the unbundled, or separated, model (see EUROPE 10684), the question gives rise to considerable debate in this sector. Should one allow a free rein to the German integrated model or should one proceed to the financial separation of the entities?
Private suppliers for German rail transport, meeting under the umbrella of the Mofair association, believe it is imperative to pull the rug out from under the feet of the Deutsche Bahn holding, in particular by establishing financial independence ensuring that state resources attributed to funding the infrastructure are not withdrawn from the infrastructure operator and used for general expansion, Mofair explains. Mofair Chairman Wolfgang Meyer states: “Deutsche Bahn uses these resources, which amount to up to one billion euro a year, to sideline its competitors, who do not receive this beneficial state funding”. This makes him think that the other competitors will not have a chance on the market unless the Commission shows proof of firmness to separate the financial relationship between infrastructure managers and service operators.
On the other hand, the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) is clearly in favour of the integrated model, and is opposed to taking forward any separation between the two entities. This is because, on one hand, “the total destruction of integrated companies has severe consequences on employment security and working conditions of the workers of those companies”, the secretary general of the federation, Sabine Trier, states. Also, “in integrated companies, there is better punctuality, communication and transparency, also towards the passengers. An integrated company is also better suited to do long-term investments and promote innovation, which can be done with converging developments or infrastructure and rolling stock”, ETF states.
There is no doubt that supporters and opponents of the integrated model will discuss this matter during the railway conference on Monday, after Kallas' speech, which is still expected to give preference to the separated model, despite the advocate general's rejection (MD/transl.jl)