NMa Netherlands Competition Authority

Rail is a relatively green mode of transportation: it is a green alternative with fewer emissions, and which reduces road congestion. It is expected that having a liberalized market with unhindered access to the European hinterland increases the volume of international passenger rail traffic. With regard to passenger transport, international train services should be able to compete with low-cost airlines.

On June 9, 2011, 16 national rail regulators created the Independent Regulators Group–Rail (IRG – Rail). Its objectives are:

• Encouraging a uniform approach of European regulations
• Developing ‘best practices’
• Having a single point of contact for regulators within Europe

The specific characteristics of the rail industry, as well as the goal of creating an internal market call for a European approach. It is therefore not surprising that most legislation comes from Europe. However, each country implements European directives differently because of the different jurisdictions. This causes problems in international transport. By exchanging best practices within the new IRG-Rail, and better yet, dealing with problems together, a single, cross-border solution will be found much easier.

IRG-Rail focuses on having a uniform approach to freight corridors (see below), developing a test to measure the impact of international passenger traffic, having joint market monitoring, advising on the revision of European directives, ‘Recast’, and a common approach to tariffs.

Read more about IRG-Rail and its activities on www.irg-rail.eu.

See also

• Press release (2011): European rail regulators to cooperate more closely

Next to network managers and ministries, rail regulators, too, work together on freight corridors. Following an EU Regulation, these corridors became official EU policy in 2010. The corridors are the most important freight routes in Europe. Three of these routes are of importance to the Netherlands. The route to Italy through Germany is one of the most important corridors. In addition, the corridors to France through Belgium, to Spain and to Poland, still have untapped potential for maximizing the Netherlands’ connections with its hinterland.

This cooperation is aimed at corridor-related developments. The Office of Transport Regulation can, for example, investigate complaints from transport undertakings on a corridor together with its sister regulators in Europe.

Read more about freight corridors at: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/rail/infrastructures/rail_freight_oriented_network_en.htm.

The European Commission and rail regulators meet on a regular basis to discuss the latest developments and to exchange experiences regarding policies and decision-making. Topics range from new legislation to specific access problems.

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