Foul play by NS previously known to Mansveld – Financieele Dagblad (Registration)

Wilma Mansveld Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment was in March at the height of foul play by NS in the procurement of public transport in Limburg.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) had a preliminary report about confidentially shared with the minister. Mansveld however it saw no reason to intervene. That became clear Tuesday night during a debate in parliament on the malpractices by NS.

Passive posture

Wilma Mansveld

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Mansveld came under heavy fire by its passive attitude towards NS. The Minister, however, said the information on ACM was unable to use it because it was a confidential preliminary report. That is why they have not shared with the Minister of Finance Jeroen Dijsselbloem formally plays the role of shareholder of the state rail company.

The State Secretary defended its decision by referring to the procedure of appeal and objections NS few days thereafter instituted against ACM. “I could not join because I would influence the course of justice ‘, Mansveld. Stated

At the same time the State authorized not to know for sure if they had been allowed to share the report of the ACM with Dijsselbloem. Nor do they have checked that the regulator. “It was a first and preliminary version with the instruction that it was merely meant for me,” said Mansveld. “I have this literally.

Explosive information

‘Onvoorstelbaar ‘, called D66 MP Stientje Veldhoven of the decision of the Secretary of State to “ignore explosive information” about violations of the law by a state. “This report has to have burned into your hands?”

Also Martijn van Helvert of the CDA could not hide his disbelief. He pointed out that the province of Limburg in Mansveld had already expressed in the spring of 2014. worried about an uneven playing field for carriers successful bidder in the tender.

Despite knowledge of cheating chose the minister sure to abide by confidentiality rules and thus a tender in to run the soup, ‘says Van Helvert.

Minister of Finance Jeroen Dijsselbloem and Minister of Infrastructure and Environment, Wilma Mansveld prior to the debate on the role of NS in the procurement of public transport in Limburg.

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Complicated and confusing

In response to all the criticism and promised Mansveld Dijsselbloem inquiry would do at the ACM to get clear how to deal with confidential and preliminary decisions on infringements of the competition rules.

Dijsselbloem called it “complicated and confusing the supervisor is provided on a confidential preliminary decisions for inspection, and also about issuing a press release, but the contents are not public is because there are procedures to be tightened.

Abuse of dominant position

Last Friday saw the CEO of NS, Timo Huges, to resign forced. Dijsselbloem well as the supervisory board had lost confidence in him following the publication of the findings of the ACM on June 4. It showed that NS with the knowledge of the CEO deliberately Railways had broken and had committed an abuse of its dominant position.

At the invitation of Public transport in Limburg were competitors Veolia and Arriva according to information NS as owner and operator of the stations had to provide in accordance with the law. However, the ACM study showed that NS rivals of its own subsidiaries and Abellio Qbuzz had deliberately harmed. In addition, information from the competitors passed on to the successful bidder subsidiary of NS.

In response to the violation by NS to the VVD and D66 property of the stations at the edges of the main rail cleavage of NS. Though PvdA, CDA, SP and GroenLinks there not in favor of it, said Dijsselbloem undertook to examine it as an option.