4th Railway Package: removing barriers for a more competitive rail sector

The European Commission unveiled the fourth railway package today, a series of legislative proposals aimed at opening national railway markets and achieving technical harmonisation in the European rail sector. Many technical, administrative, institutional and legislative hurdles that hamper the competitiveness of Europe's railways remain.

Mathieu Grosch MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the European Parliament's Transport Committee, welcomes the railway package: "We will study the Commission's proposals in detail, but, for us, making the railway sector more efficient is key. The EPP Group is committed to establishing a well-functioning Single European Railway Area where competition can develop across borders without being hampered by restrictive national rules. To achieve a well-functioning European rail sector Member States must commit to investing in rail infrastructure, in line with the commitments made in the negotiations on the Trans-European Networks and Connecting Europe Facilities. While there is likely to be controversy over some of the concrete proposals, for us, ultimately, the goal is to create sustainable jobs in the railway sector and improve public service. This should be achieved  via enhanced efficiency, new investments in rail and through a more efficient service to passengers travelling by train or to companies transporting freight by rail".

Werner Kuhn, Vice-Coordinator of the Transport Committee for the Group, said: "This package must ensure that network and railway operators continue to cooperate closely and that all EU Member States establish the appropriate authorities".