On 6 February 2019, the European Commission adopted its Sixth Rail Market Monitoring Report (RMMS), supported by a detailed Staff Working Document and explanatory infographics, which can all be found on the European Commission website.
As the railways of the European Union have been liberalised under a series of legislative “Packages”, the European Commission has been required to monitor developments in the market. In 2015, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1100 specified, for the first time, the data that Member States must collect and submit. The 2016 data, the first to have been collected on this consistent basis, forms the foundation for the Sixth report.
The detailed Staff Working Document includes over 100 charts and diagrams covering rail’s role in European passenger and freight transport, trends in its market share, and the characteristics and operations of the national rail networks. It also sets out the extent and effects of liberalisation, including competitive awarding of Public Service Contracts (PSCs) and the entry of new “open access” freight and passenger operators. There is also information on issues such as licensing, complaints, and the demographics of the railway workforce.
Steer supported the Commission in the preparation of the Staff Working Document including the verification of the data with the Member States and the creation of the explanatory charts, diagrams and infographics.