Spain's competition watchdog CNMC published a report on Friday recommending greater autonomy for Renfe and competitive tenders for commuter and medium-distance rail services before 2033.
The body chaired by Cani Fernández suggests integrating Renfe into the state holding company SEPI to ensure sufficient separation between the operator and the transport authority. It also proposes that Renfe hand station management to infrastructure manager Adif and separate its rolling stock rental and maintenance units from the main Renfe Operadora company.
The report notes that public service obligation (OSP) services account for 90% of rail journeys in Spain, serving around 500 million passengers a year. The CNMC warns of conflicts of interest when administrations control both operators and regulators or infrastructure managers.
The current contract with Renfe runs until 2027 and can be extended to 2033. The CNMC calls for staggered lot-based tenders, contracts of up to 15 years, and balanced access to rolling stock, workshops and drivers to ease entry for new operators.
