Regulation - Articles and news items

Anticipating ongoing changes

Issue 6 2008, Past issues / 3 December 2008 /

The French Railway Industry Association (FIF) is deeply rooted in the economic and social history of railways in France. Its parent organisation, the Association of Railway Equipment Manufacturers, created in 1899 on the eve of the universal exhibition in Paris where for the first time it exhibited as such, was the official lobbying body for the Trade until 1963 when it changed its name to the present ‘Fédération des Industries Ferroviaires’ (French Railway Industry Association).

Today, FIF regroups most of the main companies within the French rail industrial sector that operate in France, namely rolling stock manufacturers, track and signalling industries, track-laying contractors, equipment integrators and also engineering companies.

Its fifty or so member companies generate a combined turnover of €4.1 billion including €1.8 billion in export markets.

(more…)

MACs for infrastructure operation, maintenance & renewal

Issue 5 2007, Past issues / 26 September 2007 /

A multi-annual contract (MAC) for rail infrastructure operation, maintenance and renewal is an agreement between the government, as a key funder of the infrastructure, and the infrastructure manager. It sets out the funding the government will provide over a number of years and what services and outputs the infrastructure manager will provide in return for this.

Experience with MACs varies across Europe, but taken as a whole MACs represent a relatively new and improved way to organise the relationship between the government and the infrastructure manager. MACs replace the traditional means of organising the relationship, whereby government funding is determined on an annual basis and can be unduly influenced by the government’s other priorities and its annual budget process. Britain has gained significant experience with the concept of MACs since the separation of ownership of train services and infrastructure and privatisation of the industry in the mid-1990s. (more…)

Essential work to secure a long-term future

Industry Focus 2007, Past issues / 29 December 2006 /

As President of the European Federation of Railway Contractors it gives me great pleasure to welcome this first issue of the Industry Focus. Its timing for 2007 coincides with the Federation’s tenth anniversary year since its foundation. The Federation’s membership consists of national associations or, where they do not exist, national coordinators, representing the majority of specialist trackwork contractors in countries that are members of the European Union (EU) or the European Free Trade Area (EFTA). National federations and coordinators from other countries may be admitted as associate members. Today we have twelve Members: Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Between them they represent some 130 contractor companies. National associations of trackwork contractors exist in a number of other EU countries also, and we intend that the Federation should continue to grow accordingly.

(more…)