The European Commission has given partial approval to a Czech scheme, which intends to encourage the development of combined transport through the construction, extension and modernisation of existing combined transport terminals.

The Commission has also opened a formal investigation procedure regarding the compatibility of aids for the purchase of certain types of wagons with EU rules.

The aim of the scheme is to develop combined transport in order to achieve a traffic shift from road freight transport to other modes of transport. The scheme aims to increase the use of unaccompanied combined transport by improving its competitiveness.

However, the Commission has decided to start a formal investigation procedure regarding the compatibility of the aid for the purchase of certain types of wagons for the use of combined transport with EU rules.

The Commission has a cautious policy regarding the possibility of authorising state aid to rolling stocks. In the field of combined transport it has to be confirmed that such wagons can only be used for combined transport operations and not for normal railway transport.