THREE decrees authorising the creation of the French railway infrastructure authority Réseau Ferré de France were published in the Journal Officiel on May 7, completing the legal process to launch the new body. Designated as an Etablissement Public Industriel et Commercial, RFF is a key part of the SNCF reform law approved by the National Assembly on February 13.
RFF becomes the legal owner of the French national rail network, with a nominal debt of Fr134·2bn transferred from SNCF along with the assets. The new authority takes responsibility for network development and ensuring that the rail infrastructure is maintained to guaranteed levels of safety and capacity. It will have an annual budget of around Fr28bn. SNCF becomes an operating company, with an automatic right of access to the network, and will continue to maintain the infrastructure under contract to RFF.
The new company will be managed by a Board of Administration with six representatives from the state, four railway experts and five members elected by RFF’s 200 staff. At its first meeting on May 14, the board was expected to endorse the government’s recommendation that Claude Martinand be appointed President of RFF. o
