Parlament will weitere Liberalisierung des Schienenverkehrs

Gilles Savary MEP, who was leading the fight against the Jarzembowski report in Parliament, warned against a "dangerous European deregulation à la Thatcher".  The report, he said was adopted by a thin and composite majority made up of several political groups, which proves the apprehension of many MEPs on the issue.

According to Savary, the most pressing issue at stake is the opening of so-called 'cabotage' to international routes, a move which would allow foreign companies to operate stops within a country on an international line. 

"This new step in liberalisation shows a worrying risk of breaking up rail networks in small countries in favour of an oligopoly around a small number of dominant European companies," Savary warned.

French diplomatic sources told EurActiv they were "disappointed" with the vote to further liberalise railways. "We're not interested by the opening up of national cabotage," said Michèle-Ann Okolotowicz, an adviser at the French permanent representation in Brussels. Instead, she says the French would rather see a gradual and controlled liberalisation process that fully respects safety and social concerns. "Traditionally, France is not open to liberalisation," said Okolotowicz.

The vote in Parliament was welcomed by EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot of France. "Liberalisation of international passenger transport will make international trains more competitive and attractive. The Parliament's strong support will be crucial to attain our goal, which we can realistically expect by 2010 and not earlier." But Barrot was less enthusiastic about opening national routes. "The European Parliament's amendment to also open up the market of national railway lines, however, is premature and is not justified economically," he declared.

Other countries are expected to back France, Belgium and Luxembourg in their opposition to further liberalisation. They are the ones where operators are most likely to be swallowed by railway giants such as Germany's Deutsche Bahn - , namely Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

CER, the Community of European Railways, welcomed the rejection of the draft regulation on freight quality as "an encouraging recognition of reality in the freight business". On the liberalization of international passenger traffic, CER said it was still concerned about "the pace and scope of the process". 

"The proposed extension of scope to national services seems incompatible with the principle of subsidiarity, as over 90% of rail passenger business is domestic," CER said in a statement.