The development of the railway sector, since the adoption of the First Railway Package, has not met the expectations in terms of sector recovery. For example, during 1996-2008, the modal share of the railway freight transport dropped 2% reaching at 10.6%, while the modal share of road freight transport increased from 42.1% to 45.9%. It is imperative for the European Union to improve its legislation in order to support the railway sector, to avoid road bottlenecks and to improve the environmental conditions.
T hese are only few reasons why the recast of the First Railway Package is necessary. Reunited at mid-June, the European ministers of transport reached an agreement on the proposal of the First Railway Package recast to be able to thus promote an increased competition on the railway transport market. The provisions, mentioned in several previous issues of our magazine, have triggered the critics of the European railway sector who is now focusing its attention towards “making things right” through the vote that the European Parliament will give to the Commission’s proposals this autumn.
The above mentioned reasons are completed by others such as the fact that the Directives which make the First Railway Package have not prevented the existence of an important variation of structure and of the track access charges, as well as of the structure and duration of the capacity allocation procedures. These complicate the international railway transport. It is also valid for the distribution of routes and the legislation in force has to be improved.
EU should examine alternative financing sources for the European railway projects, through innovating financial instruments, such as the bonds for EU projects to encourage private investments and improve risk capital access.
Establishing a regulatory body is still a matter of intense concern and the lack of such a body has even led to the initiation of an infringement procedure against the countries which have not transposed this into their national legislation. The national regulatory body should be completely independent and ensure an open and transparent market for the railway transport. This body should act according to its own initiative, investigating disputes and monitoring market evolution.
Member states should develop the national railway infrastructure, keeping in mind, if necessary, the general needs of the Union. For this purpose, in two years after the entrance into force of the new directive and after consulting interested parties, member states publish a railway infrastructure development strategy for meeting future mobility needs based on a solid and sustainable financing of the railway system. The strategy covers a period of at least seven years (instead of five, as stipulated in the Commission’s proposals) and can be extended.
Therefore, the infrastructure manager will have to adopt a business plan that would include investment and financing programmes. The plan will have to ensure the use, supply, as well as the optimal and efficient development of the infrastructure, while maintaining the financial balance.
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