THE European Commission's Innovation and Network's Executive Agency (INEA) signed the final grant agreements for the last batch of Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) projects on January 7, meaning that work on 263 key European transport infrastructure projects worth €12.7bn included in CEF are now underway.

THE Shift²Rail joint technology initiative published its first call for proposals on December 17, making an initial tranche of €170m in grant funding available for railway research projects in Europe.

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission (EC) have agreed to provide the government of Kosovo with €82m to help fund a €195.5m project to upgrade the 148km north-south corridor between the Serbian and Macedonian borders.

IRJ at ERA Moving Towards the Single European Rail Area conference, Luxembourg: Mr Leos Novotny, CEO of Czech open-access private passenger operator Leo Express, says his company is proof that it is possible for passenger rail services to be profitable despite the obstacles sometimes imposed by incumbent railways.

THE extension of the European standard-gauge network through Lithuania to Latvia and Estonia took an important step forward on November 24 with the signing of a €734m European Union (EU) grant funding agreement for the Rail Baltica project.

IRJ at ERA Moving Towards the Single European Rail Area conference, Luxembourg: European transport commissioner Mrs Violeta Bulc has warned that there will be no more European Union funding for rail investment unless member states and railways embrace the Fourth Railway Package when it comes into force next year.

EUROPEAN Union transport ministers agreed on October 8 to allow open-access passenger operators to compete with incumbent national railways from 2020 as well as reforms to the way subsidised services are provided.

THE European Commission (EC) and US Department of Justice have finally authorised General Electric's (GE) €12.4bn acquisition of Alstom's power business, which will leave Alstom as a company solely focused on transport.

THE European Commission (EC) has issued new guidelines on the enforcement of rail passenger rights amid concerns that member states and train operators are failing to comply with European legislation.