THE Spanish Competition Commission (CNC) has attacked the Spanish government over its rail industry liberalisation programme, criticising what it sees as the slow pace and the short reach of the latest reforms and calling for the complete abolition of state-owned train operator Renfe.

THE SPANISH government is expected to vote at the end of this month on draft legislation that could bring sweeping liberalisation of the rail market within a year together with the privatisation of Renfe.

SPAIN'S Development Minister Mrs Ana Pastor has confirmed that the government is planning to abolish metre-gauge railway authority, Feve, and split its activities between national train operator Renfe and infrastructure manager Adif, both of which are currently state-owned.

Spanish infrastructure manager Adif is on target to end this year with debts of €13.43bn, a reduction of 8% from 2010, while operator Renfe expects to maintain the €5.2bn debt it had at the end of last year.

IRJ at BCN Rail: SPAIN's secretary of state for transport Mr Isaías Táboas Suárez says that the days of the government entirely funding Spain's rail projects are over. Speaking today at the opening session of BCN Rail in Barcelona, Táboas says it is essential that new funding models are found to complete the nation's railway infrastructure projects. "Spain has allocated Euros 8bn in the 21st century to Renfe and Euros 54bn for rail infrastructure to the Ministry of Public Works," Táboas says. "We have made huge investments but these cannot be repeated in the coming years."