On 5 March, RailNetEurope hosted the annual hybrid meeting of the Commercial Conditions Task Force (CC TF) in Vienna, bringing together around 25 experts from RNE members.
The meeting marked the beginning of a new stage in the group’s work, shifting its focus from TTR to the forthcoming Capacity Regulation.
Today, the Task Force unites more than 15 European Infrastructure Managers (IMs) who are jointly updating the guidelines to ensure alignment with the requirements of the Capacity Regulation, expected to be adopted in June 2026.
Over the past years, the Task Force has built substantial experience, with key milestones including the publication of the Commercial Conditions Guidelines in 2023 and the extensive stakeholder exchanges conducted in 2025.
Developing the Content for the European Framework for Capacity Management
A key objective of the task force is to define the content of the European Framework for Capacity Management, which will guide the implementation of penalties under Article 42 of the new Regulation. This framework is intended to support infrastructure managers across Europe in applying a consistent, fair, and transparent approach.
As part of this work, the Task Force is developing a modulation mechanism that reflects the criteria outlined in the Regulation when assessing the impact of changes to capacity rights.
Key factors considered include:
- Timing of the notification
- Quality of the alternative capacity provided by the IM, when available
- Marketability of the affected capacity, particularly where the released capacity can be requested and reused by other applicants
Next Steps and Continued Stakeholder Engagement
In the coming months, experts from European IMs will continue discussions to define the modulation mechanism and further refine the guidelines, contributing to the development of the European Framework for Capacity Management.
RNE will maintain its active role in facilitating collaboration and dialogue—both among IMs and with sector stakeholders—to support a smooth, transparent, and harmonised implementation of commercial conditions across Europe.
