At the beginning of February, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction put forward for public consultations a draft of the amendment to the railway transportation act. The 70-page-long document which consists of 47 articles provides for a comprehensive and in-depth change in a few key areas of railway transportation in Poland. It provides for the implementation of the provisions of the Directive 2012/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a single European railway area, expected by the railway market, as well as other far-reaching changes of the railway law.

The Commercial Chamber of Land Transportation, ProKolej Foundation and the Association for Rail Transport Interoperability and Development have prepared a list of over 100 comments and review proposals to the act amendment in consultation. In their 34-page-long, detailed analysis of the material presented by the Ministry, elements that need specification and review have been indicated. The progress of work on the implementation of the Recast of the First Railway Package and changes concerning lowering tax burden have been assessed as positive. At the same time, doubts have been raised as to the discrepancies between the definitions contained in the act and the Directive, consequences of changing the status of railway sidings and railway terminals or threats stemming from modifications of terms and conditions of access to the rail or service infrastructure. Underlined was also the lack of mechanism required under the EU law which would force lowering the costs of managing the national rail infrastructure and in consequence reduction of charges imposed on carriers.

By submitting their opinion within public consultations, the Commercial Chamber of Land Transportation, ProKolej Foundation and the Association for Rail Transport Interoperability and Development have jointly requested that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction conduct a wide-ranging and open discussion prior to any further work on the act.