Commission approves over €22 million of public support to promote rail transport operability in the Netherlands

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, €22.2 million of public support to upgrade traffic management equipment on freight locomotives in the Netherlands. The scheme will contribute to making railway systems more interoperable in the EU without unduly distorting competition.

Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: “The Dutch scheme will contribute to the deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System and to the creation of a Single European Railway Area. It will improve the competitiveness of European railways and foster the shift of freight traffic from road to rail, in line with the EU’s environmental and transport objectives, without unduly distorting competition.”

In October 2019, the Netherlands notified the Commission of their plans to support the upgrade of 99 cross-border freight locomotives with the newest European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on-board equipment. ERTMS is a safety system that ensures compliance by trains with speed restrictions and signaling status. This system is expected to enable the creation of a seamless European railway system, and increase the safety and competitiveness of the European rail sector.

The public support will take the form of direct grants to the owners of the locomotives, to be used for the prototyping and serial upgrades of the equipment. The public support by the Dutch state will be complemented by grants for a total of €23.8 million financed through the Connecting Europe Facility.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 06 November 2019