This proposition, as adopted in committee, sets out the rules for the opening of the market for passenger rail transport services. It preserves the integrated structures and makes it compatible with an open market with several players operating on the network. Access to the market can be limited if the viability of services performed under a public service contract is compromised and so countries shall remain free to choose the how their network is organised and to revert to a more integrated model at any time. The compromise text prioritises the separation of financial flows: revenue from the infrastructure manager should be reinvested into the sector while loans between entities of a holding structure should be under the supervision of the regulatory body. Despite strict separation of accounts it is still possible to co-operate with other entities of the holding, as long as the co-operation is covered by a contract under existing market conditions.
The rapporteur intends to table some amendments in plenary to ensure improved co-operation between infrastructure managers and railway undertakings in the context of integrated structures, provided that strict conditions on non-discrimination and transparency apply, as in the case of separated structures.