On Wednesday 23 October, the European Commission decided to impose fines totalling €48.7 million on České dráhy and Österreichische Bundesbahnen, the Czech and Austrian incumbent rail operators, for breaching EU rules on anti-competitive practices.
ČD and ÖBB colluded to prevent a new entrant, RegioJet, from gaining access to used wagons, thereby restricting competition in the rail passenger transport market.
ČD and ÖBB provide rail passenger transport services in Czech Republic and Austria. In 2011, RegioJet entered the long-distance rail transport market in Czech Republic.
The Commission’s investigation revealed that between 2012 and 2016, ČD and ÖBB colluded to maintain their market position and hinder RegioJet’s expansion both in Czech Republic and on the international rail link between Prague and Vienna, in breach of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. ČD and ÖBB have coordinated their actions in the sales processes for ÖBB’s used wagons for long-distance passenger transport, to prevent RegioJet from buying them. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)