On Friday 30 July, the European Commission approved two German schemes intended to support the rail freight and long-distance passenger transport sectors in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The support will take the form of a reduction in the charges paid by railway undertakings in order to access railway infrastructure, both in the rail freight sector and in the long-distance passenger rail sector.
The first measure, with an estimated budget of €2.1 billion, will provide relief to long-distance passenger rail operators of around 98% of the infrastructure charges paid in the period between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2022.
The second measure will amend an existing aid scheme that was implemented in 2018 to assist rail freight operators in Germany. With an estimated budget of €410 million, the amendment will increase support to some 98% of the infrastructure charges paid by rail freight operators during the period between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2021.
The measure is in line with a similar increase in the budget for the period between 1 June and 31 December 2021, which was approved by the European Commission last May. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)