07/12/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 7 December, the European Commission approved an Italian scheme to support the shift of freight traffic from road to rail in the province of Bolzano. The scheme has an overall budget of €9 million and will run until 2019. It aims to increase the share of rail and intermodal freight transport through the Brenner Corridor (an international transit route across the Alps linking Germany, Austria and Italy). The aid takes the form of a subsidy to railway companies and multimodal transport operators that carry freight, ultimately reducing prices for end customers. The Commission found that the scheme is beneficial for the environment and mobility, while also decreasing road congestion. As a result, the Commission concluded that the scheme complies with EU state aid rules, in particular the criteria under the 2008 Commission guidelines on state aid for railway undertakings. (LT)