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EU moves to open Eurostar rail network to outside competition
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 18 - 06 - 2010


The European Commission took action today to
break a monopoly on a high-speed rail network between France, Belgium
and Britain, as it won a pledge from existing market incumbents to
drop barriers to outside competitors, according to dpa.
The European Union's executive arm, the bloc's highest competition
authority, had been asked to approve the creation of "New Eurostar" -
a joint venture between the French, Belgian and British state railway
companies, which also control the Eurostar service between London,
Paris and Brussels.
The commission gave the project a green light, but only after the
three companies committed themselves to facilitating "the entry of
new rail operators on the London-Brussels and London-Paris routes," a
statement said.
A spokeswoman for Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said
the action was taken in light of the EU's decision to liberalise
international rail services as of January 1, 2010.
"In the future, we expect more diversification of services, more
choice for consumers, more innovation and lower prices as a result of
greater competition," Amelia Torres said.
As an example, she raised the prospect of "passengers being able
to travel from Frankfurt to London or from Madrid to London without
changing trains."
The commission specifically insisted that potential newcomers to
the Eurostar rail network should be able to use station
infrastructure and access passenger information currently in the
hands of the "New Eurostar" joint venture.
The incumbent companies also pledged to be ready to make space for
rivals in their Eurostar timetables.


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