Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn, the 100%-federally controlled railroad company, has also been accused of taking
advantage of its dominant market position. In 2012, the European Commission (EC) formally
opened an investigation into whether Deutsche Bahn operated an anticompetitive pricing system
for electricity used on the railway’s network, including whether discounts applied by Deutsche
Bahn to its subsidiaries led to higher prices for its competitors in the rail freight and passenger
markets.
The EC closed the investigation after Deutsche Bahn offered a new pricing system
without rebates or discounts and paid a one-time retroactive refund of 4% for 2013. The German
Competition Office has also announced its intention to investigate whether Deutsche Bahn has
taken advantage of its market position by preventing competitors from selling tickets at Deutsche
Bahn’s stations.
EU Forecast
euf:ba18a:188/nws-01