Italy’s Antitrust Regulator Investigates State Railway Operators for Market Abuse

Italy’s Antitrust Authority (AGCM) has launched an investigation into Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), the operator of the country’s railway infrastructure, and its state-owned parent company, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS), over allegations of abusing their dominant market position.

According to a statement from the competition watchdog, the probe concerns access to Italy’s high-speed rail sector, specifically in relation to the entry of SNCF Voyages Italia, a new competitor in the market. The AGCM is examining whether the actions of RFI and FS have obstructed the company’s ability to operate effectively.

Per the regulator’s findings, the entry of SNCF Voyages Italia into the national railway network and the high-speed passenger transport sector “appears to have been slowed down, and in some cases hindered.” The investigation suggests that RFI may have employed exclusionary tactics in its management of railway infrastructure capacity, potentially disadvantaging the new market entrant.

In response to the inquiry, FS has stated that its companies “have fully cooperated with the AGCM for the success of the inspection operations” and will take the opportunity to demonstrate the legitimacy of their conduct as the proceedings unfold.

Source: ANSA