EU Greenlights €300 Mn Slovak Aid Program for Railway Freight Sector

Brussels/Bratislava, 18 July (TASR-correspondent) – The European Commission has approved a €300 million Slovak state aid program aimed at supporting the country’s railway freight sector, the Commission announced on Friday, according to TASR’s Brussels correspondent. In line with the EU state aid rules, the program will fund the purchase of new railway freight wagons in an effort to shift cargo transport from road to rail — promoting a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation. The support will take the form of direct grants to cover part of the costs for acquiring new freight wagons. Eligible recipients include railway operators and owners of rolling stock, seeking to invest in new freight wagons. Under the scheme, the aid can cover up to 50 percent of acquisition costs, with a maximum of €200 million available per applicant. mf