Antitrust extends proceedings on RFI commitments for high speed

The Competition and Market Authority has extended the deadline for closing the proceedings, initiated last May, for the review of some of the commitments undertaken by the Italian Railway Network at the conclusion of the proceedings concerning an alleged abuse of a dominant position by the manager of the national railway infrastructure in violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

RFI's conduct, relating to the methods of assigning capacity on the national high-speed railway infrastructure, we read in the Antitrust note, in fact presented specific antitrust profiles, as it was potentially suitable for hindering access to the railway network by new operators.

At the end of a detailed investigation, which involved not only the infrastructure manager but also all the railway companies involved, the Authority deemed the commitments proposed by RFI suitable to overcome the competitive criticalities identified, attributable to the methods and criteria for assigning infrastructure capacity, which, if not modified, would have hindered access to the network by new operators, preventing, to the detriment of consumers, effective competition in the offer of high-speed rail transport services. Speed.

In defining the commitments, account was also taken of the intention, already expressed by the Transport Regulatory Authority, to proceed with the revision of the regulations regarding the allocation of framework capacity.