State aid for railways

25.4.2017

Question for written answer E-002884-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Aldo Patriciello (PPE)

Paragraph 34 of the Community guidelines on state aid for railway undertakings laid down by the Commission (2008/C 184/07) states that the costs of acquisition of rolling stock in the rail passenger transport sector alone are deemed to be admissible for regional aid expenditure and that this does not extend to freight transport.

This would appear entirely at odds with the Commission’s White Paper on transport, whose main objective is to transfer road freight to rail, reaching 30% by 2030 and 50% by 2050.

Furthermore, it is manifestly illogical to allow aid for the transport of passengers while excluding goods transport, which should be considered ‘capital-intensive’.

Instead of receiving financing facilities, small and medium-sized enterprises are facing increasing discrimination, while (former) monopolies are able to take advantage of this, with Deutsche Bahn controlling 80% of the rail market, for example, according to recent data.

In view of this, will the Commission consider reviewing the guidelines, not only to bring them in line with the objectives of the White Paper, but also to liberalise the European rail freight sector in practice?