Tallinn, 17/10/3013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission will be following railway reform very closely in France, in an attempt to dissipate concerns regarding the independence of the infrastructure manager. On Wednesday 16 October, the French Minister for Transport, Frédéric Cuvillier, presented his reform proposals that plan (amongst other things) to merge the service operator, the SNCF, with the infrastructure manager, Réseau ferré de France (RFF). The latter will take over its own infrastructure related functions subcontracted to the SNCF, which is one of the objectives of the 4th railway package. What is less sure, however, is how this reform will ensure the transition to an integrated model of governance.
A source from the Commission services explained that, “we are going to have to analyse this in detail so that we can be sure that the infrastructure manager is independent, as required by existing legislation”, particularly in connection with financial flows. This same source added that “the devil is in the detail”, particularly in the decrees accompanying the reform (our translation).
French reform particularly needs looking at in the context of the railway reforms begun at a European level through the 4th railway package. Another Commission source said that France was now supporting the German position favouring an integrated structure. Nonetheless, it should not be ruled out that the option chosen by France could also comply with the “semi-integrated” model guaranteed by the “Chinese walls” proposed in the 4th railway package.
The first response of the European Commissioner for transport to the press, in Tallinn on Thursday, 17 October, suggested that there was no firm opposition to the 4th railway package in the French approach. He also said that he was prepared to find a solution that was acceptable to France. (MD/transl.fl)