More than five years in the making, the Fourth Railway Package is a broad raft of reforms that seeks to significantly improve the competitive position of rail transport across the European Union. Keith Barrow assesses the contents of this key legislation and looks at the challenges facing its implementation.

RÈGIONS de France, an association representing 18 French regions, unveiled a paper on January 9 setting out regional governments’ priorities for the liberalisation of the regional passenger rail market.

THE European Parliament (EP) voted to adopt the market pillar of the Fourth Railway Package at a plenary session in Strasbourg on December 14 in the final stage of a legislative process which is intended to open Europe’s railway sector to greater competition.

IRJ at InnoTrans 2016: The European commissioner for transport and mobility Violeta Bulc told delegates at the opening ceremony that the railway industry is a key sector for the European Union (EU), but urged it to play an even bigger role.

IRJ at ERA Moving Towards the Single European Rail Area conference, Luxembourg: Mr Leos Novotny, CEO of Czech open-access private passenger operator Leo Express, says his company is proof that it is possible for passenger rail services to be profitable despite the obstacles sometimes imposed by incumbent railways.

IRJ at ERA Moving Towards the Single European Rail Area conference, Luxembourg: European transport commissioner Mrs Violeta Bulc has warned that there will be no more European Union funding for rail investment unless member states and railways embrace the Fourth Railway Package when it comes into force next year.