Railway privatisation full steam ahead after EP vote

Sabine Wils, member of Germany’s Die Linke (The Left) joined other United European Left (GUE-NGL) Members of the European Parliament in condemning plans to establish a so-called ‘single European rail area’ as a measure which "paves the way for private profiteering in Europe 's railway sector".
With possibilities opened up for the hiving off and privatisation of marshalling yards, maintenance facilities, operating services and subcontracting, the notion of integrated public railway companies where safety rules and passengers’ interests are paramount has been destroyed.
"Although the practice in the UK already shows that this is the wrong policy, the further liberalization of the railway sector and the further separation of rail and operating services to the detriment of employees, passengers and safety measures is now being implemented in Europe," said Wils, who was speaking in the wake of the plan’s approval by the European Parliament.
"Fortunately, a parliamentary majority was found to defeat the Commission's proposal to introduce ‘minimum service’ rules during strikes,” she added.  “Had this passed, the right to strike would have been severely damaged in Europe . The GUE/NGL group fought from the beginning, together with the trade unions, against the erosion of this right."
The Commission has announced that in 2012, it will propose further "unbundling" of railway companies. "Again we will stand firmly with the trade unions to resist this" said Wils.

For background on the EU’s ongoing destruction of European railways as a public service, read Brian Denny’s recent article.