Stakeholder consultation on the review of the Guidelines for Harmonised Commercial Conditions is now open
The upcoming draft Capacity Regulation will bring substantial changes to the European rail sector. Preparations are already underway across the industry.
We now especially invite abut also other interested stakeholders to contribute expertise to this important consultation. Pooling knowledge from across Europe and establishing a coherent procedural, and IT framework will help enhance efficiency and minimise underused capacity.
Background and Purpose of the Consultation
The growing demand for rail infrastructure capacity requires the sector to adapt its Commercial Conditions processes and align more closely across networks.
To support this, a RNE Task Force composed of experts from Infrastructure Managers (IMs) has conducted a thorough review of the existing Commercial Conditions Guidelines.
As part of RNE’s preparations for becoming Network Coordinator, a gap analysis was carried out between the existing Guidelines and the draft Regulation. This analysis helped identify the main areas for revision.
The updated content and level of detail consider the current stage of the trilogue discussions, while maintaining the flexibility to revise the harmonised rules and processes once the legal framework is finalised.
Key Revisions in the Draft
Based on detailed analysis and close cooperation with IMs, the following content has been revised or added:
- Multiannual capacity: Framework Agreements and Rolling Planning (Chapter 2.1)
- Harmonised thresholds for path withdrawal (Chapter 2.5.1)
- References to:
- Multinetwork capacity rules (Chapter 2.4)
- Requests from public authorities in crisis situations (Chapter 2.3.1.1)
- Dispute resolution rules (Chapter 1.4.5)
- Updates on the current status of commercial conditions schemes
- Partial path cancellation/withdrawal procedures (Chapters 2.2 and 2.3)
- Updated project timelines and implementation (Section 3)
Public Consultation Process – Submit Your Feedback
To ensure the revised Guidelines meet sector needs to the largest extent possible, RNE is launching a broad public consultation. The process is open to all stakeholders, of which applicants are particularly invited to join.
Submitting your feedback is simple:
- Download and read the document “Guidelines on Harmonised Commercial Conditions Review”
- Complete the online feedback form by 23 August 2025
All contributions will be analysed by the RNE Commercial Conditions Task Force and considered in the finalisation of the document. The final version of the Guidelines will be published on the RNE website at the end of the updating process. Selected input may be referenced anonymously in the final report resulting from the Guidelines consultation phase, which will also be available on the RNE website.
The consultation timeline is embedded in the drafting process as follows:
Online Commercial Conditions Consultation Workshop
Would you like to learn more about the draft Guidelines and consultation process?
RNE is hosting an online workshop to provide detailed information on:
- the main content of the revised Guidelines
- the consultation process
- how stakeholders, especially applicants, can participate
Join us on 30 June 2025, 11:00-12:00 (CET)
The session will take place on MS Teams. No registration needed.
A recording will be available on this page following the session.
Contact
For additional information or technical requests, please contact us via mail at commercialconditions@rne.eu
