FRENCH SHIPPERS RAIL EU RAILWAY LIBERALIZATION PACT

FRENCH SHIPPERS RAIL EU RAILWAY LIBERALIZATION PACT    The French Association of Freight Transport Users has criticized last week’s compromise on rail liberalization in Europe between the European Parliament and the European council of ministers.
   The French shippers’ body said that it is “disappointed” about the deal, designed to open up the European rail freight industry.
   “The European Parliament, which had a resolutely modern vision of rail freight transport, ended up giving in to the council of the European Union on virtually on the issues,” a spokesman for the shippers’ body said.
   With the political agreement applicable only to major international rail corridors and implemented gradually by 2007, the compromise represents “a postponement sine die” of the opening up of the market, the French association said.
   The shippers’ body also criticized the fact that Brussels delegated to individual countries’ government the power to legislate on authorized operators. Because traditional railways in Europe lack capital, the French shippers was hoping that private-sector operators would be encouraged to invest in the rail industry.
   Two main planks of the rail liberalization proposal — a split between rail operations and the management of infrastructures and the opening up of domestic rail markets — were watered down or dropped under the policy compromise.