1. EIM/EFRTC Working Together for Improved Market-Access
Jean-Marie BERTRAND
EIM Chairman
RFF, Director General

2. EIM Membership = EU independent infrastructure managers Denmark
Finland
France
The Netherlands
Portugal
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Norway
Our membership constitutes: 43% of the entire EU-25 rail network 49% of passenger traffic 32% of freight traffic

3. Our Objectives As European Infrastructure Managers
Promoting international rail-freight transport & a high -performance European network for passengers
Establishing a Trans-European Rail Network (TEN), accessible and simple to use
Operating under affordable economic conditions, without jeopardising the economic balance of rail services
Cost control remains a critical issue

4. Growing Costs: an Economic Challenge for the Rail Sector
Infrastructure costs form a major part of European railway expenditure
Reasons for this include:
Environmental constraints (eg, noise reduction)
Speed
Safety
New Technology (ETCS-GSM-R …) - shorter life cycles - require highly skilled maintenance personnel - weak systems - duplication of systems
Specificity of rail infrastructure standards

5. Outsourcing and Cost Control: Feedback from UK and Sweden Discussed in the EIM/EFRTC Conference 2005
Outsourcing requires a clear contractual arrangement between IMs and contractors.
When outsourcing, the company must retain sufficient skills, and sufficient knowledge about the condition of its assets, to set clear specifications for what it wants to buy.
It is important to align objectives and create financial incentives for lasting partnership.
Appropriate contractual frameworks can ensure that objectives start and remain aligned.

6. Working Jointly to Reduce Costs and Improve Value: a Win-Win Situation
Two main objectives:
Encouraging competition and creating new opportunities for suppliers
Denationalizing markets and standardising products :lowering national barriers.
Possible approaches for implementation:
making optimal use of technology
benchmarking
harmonisation of procurement processes
harmonisation of contractor qualifications

7. 1st Step of our cooperation: collecting and sharing information
RIMARE joint project
RIMARE is expected to be financed by the European Commission via the funds for “general studies”.
RIMARE is addressing supply-chain optimisation, contracting strategies, open standards and market access, supply-chain management processes and work-practice efficiency.

8. What could the 2nd step be?
Should we wait for the outcome of RIMARE and address in an integrated manner those items that show greatest economic potential?
Should we work on common technical specifications?
This raises a number of questions that need to be addressed and reflected upon: should we set up a specific working group?

9. Thank you for your attention & your feedback on our proposals.