The report by MEP Ms Debora Serrachiani, which was discussed yesterday
by the European Parliament's Transport Committee, concludes: "the lack
of independence of infrastructure management prevents the true
transnational integration of the rail networks, which continue to be
managed along national considerations that are often dominated by the
interests of incumbent railway undertakings. This limits the
attractiveness of the railway for new operators, new services, and new
customers."

The FRP was adopted in 2001 with the aim of establishing
a transparent regulatory regime for the allocation of capacity and
access to the network, as well as creating a framework for the
licensing of train operators in each member state. However, the level
of implementation has varied widely between member states and
accusations of monopolistic practices remain commonplace in many
countries.

The Commission hopes to tackle the shortcomings of the
FRP with a far-reaching revision in order to streamline and clarify the
legislation, although the success of these measures will ultimately
depend on how they are interpreted and transposed by member states.