Brussels – September 15, 2026

ALLRAIL welcomes the EU Commission’s efforts to simplify public procurement rules. One of the stated objectives of the proposal is to strengthen competition in rail passenger services.

However, greater commercial freedom must be accompanied by equal financing conditions.

The passenger rail sector requires particular attention because State ownership continues to have a significant impact on the conditions under which operators can finance their commercial activities:

• State-owned railway operators competing commercially can benefit from advantages generally unavailable to private competitors, including public guarantees, preferential access to credit and lower financing costs linked to State ownership. These advantages can arise at both national and EU level (e.g. at the EIB)

• Independent operators, by contrast, continue to face significant barriers when financing the rolling stock required to enter the market. Indeed, the EU’s recently adopted State aid framework expressly recognises that new entrants can face worse financing conditions than state-owned operators, which may have easier access to financing due to their greater creditworthiness.

• This imbalance is particularly important in the context of capacity allocation and Framework Agreements. Operators need sufficient certainty of financing to acquire rolling stock and make effective use of the capacity they obtain. Without access to appropriate financing, independent operators may be unable to deploy the trains necessary to use allocated capacity, ultimately undermining the objective of greater competition in the rail market.

ALLRAIL therefore calls on the EU and Member States to establish targeted financing instruments designed to overcome the structural financing barriers faced by new entrants. The revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework and the development of the future European Competitiveness Fund should provide an opportunity to ensure that independent operators have effective and non-discriminatory access to financing for rolling stock and other essential assets.

If this cannot be ensured, Member States should consider whether commercially active railway operators should remain under State ownership. Divesting such operators would unlock resources for strategic investments, including new infrastructure and high-speed rail networks,”

says Nick Brooks, Secretary General of ALLRAIL.