On Tuesday 12 September, the European Commission held a meeting with experts and representatives from the freight sector and decided to set up a working group that would learn the lessons from the accident that occurred at the Rastatt tunnel in Germany on 12 August last
Discussions focused on emergency measures, restoring infrastructure and infrastructure development strategies. Although the Commission took note of the observations made by the different stakeholders, it did, nonetheless, inform them that it would be unable to grant then any financial aid under Union law and that any national aid would have to respect state aid rules.
The Commission, however, did meet the demands made by different freight sector actors on 4 September last (see EUROPE 11855) and who called for a working group to be set up that would include infrastructure managers that would be involved in tackling similar crises as the Rastatt tunnel accident, in the future. The group will therefore include rail infrastructure managers, railway companies, rail freight experts and shipowners. Its aim will be to work develop good practices for emergency plans, particularly with regard to the coordination of infrastructure operators. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)