EU moves to end state rail monopolies

European High -Speed Rail System

In proposals likely to infuriate Germany, the EU executive will this month urge an end to Europe's last rail monopolies and so open the lucrative passenger market to competition from 2019.

The toughest opposition to the European Commission plan is likely to come from Germany and its rail giant Deutsche Bahn.

But France's SNCF railways and Italy's FS too are keenly awaiting a package of proposals described by the Commission as "enormous", comprising six lots of draft legislation, one report and two so-called EU "communications".

The package is expected to be formally agreed and released by the European Union executive on January 23 or January 30, with the aim of opening up the around 60-billion-euro market in annual passenger traffic by 2019.

But to do so, Brussels is expected to call on the railways to be split between an infrastructure management side, that is the rails and network system, from actual train operation.

Read more: EU moves to end state rail monopolies - FRANCE 24