The European Commission has signalled it is prepared to allow national governments to funnel large sums of money direct to haulage companies to finance combined transport equipment and systems.
Brussels has approved as legal under European Union (EU) state aid rules an Austrian government programme, making €35 million available to transport companies until 2011.
This Austria 'State Fund ERP' will, said a European Commission note "be able to grant transport firms loans at interest
rates that are better than market rates. The loans can be granted for different combined transport activities: investment in specific transport infrastructure and equipment and the use of new technologies." Brussels said it supported the scheme because it dovetailed with EU transport policy, which "aims to promote the switch of freight transport from the roads to the railways or inland waterways."
Meanwhile, the Commission has also approved a Czech government aid fund worth €56 million financing the purchase of combined transport rail wagons.
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