{"id":213118,"date":"2025-05-08T19:37:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T09:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=62260"},"modified":"2025-05-08T19:37:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T09:37:47","slug":"how-can-the-eu-fix-the-issue-of-track-access-charges-without-binding-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=213118","title":{"rendered":"How can the EU fix the issue of track access charges without binding regulations?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The European Commission (EC) adopted new guidelines on how to set up track access charges (TAC), a burdensome aspect for rail freight in many member states. However, as it is often the case, these are Interpretative Guidelines, meaning they are not binding \u201cand do not create any new legal obligations\u201d and are thus less likely to affect change.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>TAC in Europe can have up to three components: mandatory charges to recover the direct costs of infrastructure managers (IMs); optional mark-ups; and optional charges related to scarcity or congestion. The guidelines provided by the Commission focus on mark-ups and other optional charges.<\/p>\n

A fragmented outlook<\/h2>\n

EU member states have significantly different approaches when it comes to setting up TAC and possible mark-ups. \u201cThe factor that has probably most influenced their choices is the amount of funding that they receive from the State\u201d, the Commission highlighted. In other words, some IMs need higher TAC because their government does not sufficiently support them.<\/p>\n