Mise à jour : 9 mai 2012 (Rédaction initiale : 19 avril 2012 )

Sur le vif

The French Rail Regulator entrusts a public undertaking, RFF ("Réseau Ferré de France"), the management of the railway infrastructure. It must therefore enter into contracts with the railway undertakings to have rail transportation. European laws provide that these contracts must follow on the one hand, the specific legal provisions, and on the other hand the "network statement ". In addition, framework agreements determine the distribution of the allocation of capacity of the infrastructure between transport undertakings, schedules and prices. The regulator must give a reasoned opinion on these agreements. The notice is only optional, binding neither the State nor the parties. RFF ("Réseau Ferré de France") has developed a project of framework agreement and transmitted it to the autorité française de régulation des activités ferroviaires (ARAF) – (French Rail Regulator). It has chosen to open on 17 April a public consultation, with on its website the project of framework agreement, allowing any stakeholders to express themselves on the duration, pricing, transparency and confidentiality, and also the contractual balance of such an agreement. The consultation will be closed on 4 June and the autorité française de régulation des activités ferroviaires (ARAF) – (French Rail Regulator) will then deliver its opinion.