Who (and why) gains from Germany’s €1.7 billion single wagonload fund?
With single wagonload transport being one of the most fragile and volatile services offered by the rail freight industry, the 1.7 billion euros that Germany…
Belated EU notification delays Polish rail freight terminal tax exemption
An uncompleted EU procedure is delaying a tax exemption for Polish rail freight terminals. The European Union has to approve of the exemption, as EU…
INTERVIEW
Lineas in-depth: finances, operations and upcoming expansion
For almost two years, Lineas has been undergoing a transformational process to become financially viable. COVID-19 and all the events occurring from 2020 onwards had…
Analysis: will DB Cargo end up like SNCF Fret?
This week, an important European rail freight company was saved from possible sanctions by the European Commission through an uncompromising reorganisation plan. SNCF Fret, the…
Official: Germany pumps 1,1 billion to cover rail electricity bills
With the EU’s approval, Germany will pour 1,1 billion euros into its rail sector to alleviate it from the skyrocketing electricity traction prices. The German…
Single wagon traffic vs block trains: financial support should not be a vicious circle
As many states are already supporting or planning to adopt supportive measures for single wagon traffic, the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) draws attention to…
Another financial aid package for Estonian Railways, ‘one of the many to come’
Estonian Railways (EVR) will receive the second package of governmental financial assistance in a few months. The state-owned company that noted a financial loss of…
Fret SNCF under EU’s microscope for state aid rules compliance
The rail freight subsidiary of SNCF, Fret SNCF, is subject to investigation by the European Commission. The investigation’s objective is to determine whether financial measures…
French rail association asks for more state aid to develop rail freight
Major rail freight players in France presented new demands to Clement Beaune, the Minister for Transport, as Alliance 4F (Fret Ferroviaire Français du Futur) claimed. The…
DB in the state aid loop again with multimillion financial injection
Deutsche Bahn will receive 215 million euros in the form of equity injection under the EU’s state aid guidelines. The financial support scheme was approved…
“Simpler state aid is great, but mind the internal competition”
The European Commission’s intention to simplify the state aid rules for green transport could directly benefit rail, which is very important. However, when it comes…
130 million state aid for Italy targets track access charges
The EU Commission has approved another state aid scheme for Italy. This time 130 million euros are reserved to support freight and passenger rail operators…