Page 17 - Annual report - Araf 2014

17 Araf 2014 annual report
network charter (to be submitted for Araf’s opinion); it will also be tasked with some dispute settlement between SNCF Réseau and railway undertakings. These arrangements are without prejudice
to the role played by Araf in dispute settlement.
THE RAIL REFORM AND SOCIAL ISSUES
As for social issues, the Reform aims
at standardising working conditions
and working hours for all railway staffs
by drafting an industry-wide collective bargaining agreement applicable to SNCF as well as to competing operators. Negotiations with the social partners are proceeding under the aegis of a Joint Committee and should come to a close in 2016.
OPENING TO RAIL COMPETITION
Although the Act of 4 August 2014 ought to have prepared the opening up to competition of the domestic rail passenger market, it contains no article on the subject.
2. CONSEQUENCES OF THE RAIL REFORM
It strengthens the Araf’s competences, in particular on the railway sector’s economic model, by encompassing the pricing framework of all infrastructure components in the scope of its opinions: passenger stations; freight terminals; fuel oil supply stations; sidings; combined transport sites; etc.
It also devolves to Araf new inancial competences since the regulator
now monitors compliance by the infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau with the latter’s budget trajectory; Araf
also surveys the inancing conditions of SNCF Réseau’s investment projects. Finally, the Rail Reform introduces a change in the composition of the Araf board (read page 6).
More binding opinions
Araf retains its power to issue binding opinions on network access charges;
Araf now has the power to issue binding opinions on access charges to passenger stations and to
other service facilities, as well as
on regulated services supplied at these locations (freight terminals; fuel oil supply stations; etc.);
Araf renders a binding opinion on charges for security services (Suge, the French rail transport police);
Araf may also veto a proposal for the appointment, renewal or dismissal of the SNCF Réseau chairman.
Additional informative powers
From now on, the following information must be communicated to Araf:
list of positions of SNCF Réseau senior management;
all projects of write-down of assets located near rail tracks operated by SNCF;
SNCF annual report;
SNCF Réseau annual report; SNCF Mobilités annual report.
The Rail Reform has enlarged the scope of Araf’s non binding opinions:
Network Charter and its amendments;
draft framework contract agreed between SNCF and the State (and its updates);
draft framework contract agreed between SNCF Réseau and the State (and its updates) as well as annual report on implementation of said contract;
total amount of inancial contributions to be granted to SNCF Réseau and share contributed by SNCF Réseau to investment projects larger than capped amount set by Parliament;
corporate organisational measures by SNCF Réseau to prevent any discrimination;
draft budget of SNCF Réseau.
Other non binding opinions
THEMATIC BROCHURE