PRESS RELEASE

RAIL TRANSPORT: THE COMPETITION AUTHORITY AGREES WITH COMMITMENTS OF THE FS GROUP TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION FOR RAIL TRAVELLERS ABOUT COMPETITORS, WHO WILL HAVE SIMPLER ACCESS TO THE RAILWAYS. TWO NEW INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN STARTED AGAINST THE GROUP FOR DELAYS AND DISCOMFORT FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION

More information for those who choose to travel by trains of competitors of the FS Group, certain procedures for access to train paths, fee reduced by 15% for access to the network and reserved areas for mobiles and information points. These are the effects of the commitments submitted by the group and made binding by the Competition Authority at the end of the investigation launched on 22 May 2013, following the complaint from NTV. The Authority has also decided to initiate two separate proceedings against Trenitalia, for consumer protection: the first relating to the procedures of repayments and 'bonuses' in the case of train delays, the second in relation to fines imposed by Trenitalia to travellers for irregular travel documents.

Below is a summary of the decisions taken by the Authority.

Closure of the investigation for abuse of dominant position

The investigation was launched to determine an alleged abuse of dominant position of the companies belonging to the group FS (FS, RFI, Trenitalia, Grandi Stazioni, Centostazioni and FS Sistemi Urbani) consisting of an articulated exclusionary strategy against NTV in the markets of access to the national railway infrastructure, the management of advertising space in the main Italian stations and in the market for high-speed rail transport of passengers. According to the Competition Authority, commitments submitted by companies are eligible to reject the disputed anti-competitive profiles because they serve to broaden the possibilities of access to the market of high-speed rail transport of passengers for railway undertakings, both as regards the use of the network infrastructure and the efficient use of space within the stations. This is the aim of the RFI's commitment to prepare signage within the stations that will allow travellers to identify the specific services provided by individual rail operators. There will also be determined areas for mobile desks and self-service ticket offices of competitors, easy to use and visible. The station managers have also offered to NTV the possibility of having advertising space both within the stations served by the Italo trains and in stations that are not served by these trains. RFI is committed to reduce the fee for access to the network in an amount equal to 15% for all railway undertakings, it granted to NTV all paths regarding the train timetable "December 2013 - December 2014" and has modified the requirements of the network statement (PIR) in order to facilitate discussions with the regions concerned in the event of a conflict in the allocation of capacity. RFI has finally agreed to waive the collection of a significant proportion payable by NTV for non-use of routes under contract for the approval of rolling stock before the initiation of its own train service.

Procedures for possible malpractices with regard to refunds/compensation and fines for irregular travel documents

The two proceedings were initiated in the light of the many reports received from individual consumers and consumer groups: the first must determine whether the procedures developed by Trenitalia in the event of delay or inconvenience of travellers are intended to discourage requests for refunds or compensation; the second concerns the fines imposed by Trenitalia to consumers not only in cases of travelling without a ticket, but also in other numerous irregular situations, of different types and severity, in which the traveller does have a ticket, but does not get it regularised on board.

Rome, 12 March 2014