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Opening up national freight and passenger markets to cross-border competition is a major step towards the creation of an integrated European railway area and of a genuine EU internal market for rail. Greater technical harmonisation of rail systems and the development of key cross-border rail routes are also helping to break down barriers to a more competitive rail sector, along with better connections between EU and neighbouring markets.
Boosting competition
Greater competition makes for a more efficient and customer-responsive industry. EU rail legislation has consistently encouraged competitiveness and market opening, with the first major law in this direction dating back to 1991.
The legislation is based on a distinction between infrastructure managers who run the network and the railway companies that use it for transporting passengers or goods. Different organisational entities must be set up for transport operations on the one hand and infrastructure management on the other. Essential functions such as allocation of rail capacity (the “train paths” that companies need to be able to operate trains on the network), infrastructure charging and licensing must be separated from the operation of transport services and performed in a neutral fashion to give new rail operators fair access to the market.
EU Member States must also have regulatory bodies in place to monitor railway markets and to act as an appeal body for rail companies if they believe they have been unfairly treated.
Opening markets Europe-wide
As well as encouraging greater competition within national markets, EU legislation gives rail operators the ability to run services in and between other EU countries, opening up competition in a cross-border sense.
Rail freight transport has been completely liberalised in the EU since the start of 2007, for both national and international services. This means that any licensed EU railway company with the necessary safety certification can apply for capacity and offer national and international freight services by rail throughout the EU.
The market for international rail passenger services has been liberalised in the EU from 1 January 2010. Any licensed, certified rail company established in the EU is in principle able to offer such services, and in doing so has the right to pick up and set down passengers at any station along the international route. The market for purely national rail passenger services is not yet being opened up to cross-border competition, though this could change in the future
Related documents
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Press Room
Commission sets out measures to improve rail services [IP/10/1139, 17/09/2010]All available translations.
Frequently asked questions on the proposals to recast the first railway package [MEMO/10/421, 17/09/2010]All available translations.
Opening-up of rail international passenger transport market to competition on 1 January 2010: towards additional services offered to consumers [IP/09/2001, 23/12/2009]All available translations.
Ouverture du marché de transport international de passagers par le rail, le 1er janvier 2010 [MEMO/09/570, 23/12/2009]All available translations.
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Recast of the First Railway Package
Study on Regulatory Options on Further Market Opening in Rail Passenger Transport
Impact Assessment accompanying the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a single European railway area
[2 MB] (Recast) [SEC(2010)1042 final] - Studies
