But what does Objectif OFP do?

Capillary lines are an essential component of the national rail network because they contribute to the fine service of the territories and are the source of more than 20% of rail freight; they are essential to the activity of aggregates (70% of tonnages transported by rail) and cereals (40% of tonnages).

        o The action of the State and SNCF Réseau since 2014 has slowed down the degradation process, but the long-term sustainability of the 2,200km of capillaries operated cannot be ensured without a plan agreed between all the stakeholders concerned.

        o The actions described in the note below have no or very low cost compared to the issues; their implementation can be very rapid, if the State and SNCF Réseau really want it: essentially it is necessary:

        o Complete the implementation of new regulatory texts and apply them without hesitation.

        o Improve information and co-decision with all stakeholders

        o Work together to put into practice and optimize the new tools available in the two possible governance cases:

        o Maintenance at the RFN

        o Exit from the RFN as part of a transfer of management to a Region or an agreement with a private party.

Lignes capillaires Propositions d' Objectif OFP

ITEs

The number of ITEs is steadily decreasing in France, in some cases because rail freight is no longer adapted to shippers' needs, but also often because of the poor quality of service offers and a lack of visible and long-term authorities; indeed the modal choice in favor of rail entails investments whose amortization supposes sufficient visibility, for example on the durability of the service. Since 2012 Objective OFP and the AUTF have campaigned for aid for the renovation or creation of ITE to be subsidized by local authorities or the State, as has been the case for more than 15 years in Germany , Austria and Switzerland; as this is direct aid to a company, it is necessary to obtain a derogation from the European Commission, either on a case-by-case basis, which is very cumbersome, or globally. The measure recommended by the report of the Mobility 21 Commission in 2013 was adopted in October 2016 and the procedures with the EU Commission were completed in 2018 In summary, a grant of a maximum amount of €2.5 million ( creation) or €2 million (renovation) representing a maximum of 50% of the operation can be allocated without having to request, on a case-by-case basis, from Brussels a derogation from the control of direct aid to businesses; it obviously remains to satisfy the conditions described in the note and to find the community interested in the project and its effect on employment and industrial activity which it will support to the point of subsidizing it. Although interesting, this device does not have many applications, because the Regions do not accept to be the only funders, and the State, which does not participate in the financing, is embarrassed to promote it.

Below is a note from DGITM which gives the principles of aid

As a reminder, we are also attaching a very interesting presentation of the conditions for success and the procedures for creating an ITE, a study conducted and financed by the CCI and the DREAL Midi-Pyrénées, in partnership with SNCF Réseau and with the technical expertise from Agénia (a member of Objectif OFP)

Presentation by DGITM of the ITE aid scheme notified to the EC

A new effort to simplify rail regulations is essential

The idea is widely shared that railway regulations are unnecessarily cumbersome, and that their complexity can go against the efficiency and competitiveness of the system, but also even its safety.
We note however that year after year the whole thing does not become simpler, even if punctually efforts have succeeded in certain limited areas since the time when D. Bussereau demanded "400 simplification measures" and more recently the action launched by A. Vidalies and led by AH Bertrand who in particular produced the maintenance reference for small lines.
The SNCF group in its vision of the rail system of the future puts as the first axis of transformation "the simplification of the network and its operating rules"
This need was recalled by AFRA and Objectif OFP in their contribution to the debate on the new railway pact, and E. Borne, during the debate meeting on the new railway pact on May 3, found the idea interesting.
But in addition to this essential global reflection on the entire rail system, economic factors must lead to rapid targeted actions:
- the “New Railway Pact” law, the transposition of the fourth railway package and the LOM law will lead to profound regulatory changes, particularly for infrastructure, but which also risk freezing the regulatory framework for a long time.
- It is clear that the budgetary restrictions of the State and the Regions will inevitably lead to a line-by-line examination of the economic relevance of passenger and/or freight operations; if the governance of these lines and the applicable safety, operation and maintenance rules are not adapted, the least busy lines will be closed

It is therefore vital to take advantage of these circumstances to relaunch a new simplification effort, initially targeting the adaptation of the rules in the context of regional and port routes, without of course refraining from dealing with any other anomaly identified. It is in this spirit that, on the suggestion of the profession, the law "for a new railway pact" indicates, in its article 30

"…the Government is authorized to take by ordinance any measure falling within the scope of the law to ensure the transposition of Directive (EU) 2016/797…relating to the interoperability of the rail system and of Directive (EU) 2016/798 relating to rail safety as well as to take measures to adapt and simplify the legislation related to this transposition in order to promote the development of rail transport of passengers and goods"

External constraints being what they are, it seems out of the question, as we sometimes hear it said, to “start from scratch”. As indicated above, without excluding targets of any kind, it would be necessary to focus initially on territorial and port infrastructures and operations and define the simplifications to be made based on the needs, more particularly those that the organizing authorities , freight customers, ports and professionals (RU and SNCF Réseau supplier companies) consider themselves unsatisfied