EU: the Commission adopts the guidelines concerning State aid for railway undertakings

The European Commission adopted, on April 30, 2008, the Guidelines on State Aid for railway undertakings. These guidelines clarify the rules applicable to State Aid granted to railway undertakings until January 1, 2010, follow a public consultation (see our dispatch No.080010). A chapter of this document is dedicated to restructurings in the freight activity. (Ref. 080362)
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These guidelines, which aim at providing
guidance on the compatibility with the EC Treaty of State aid for railway
undertakings, has a part dedicated to aid for restructuring these undertakings’
freight divisions. The consultation launched by the Commission did not amend
the content of the original proposition (see our dispatch No. 080010). After reminding
that opening the market to competition did not require to separate freight and
passenger transport, the Commission nonetheless requires, as

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