On 6 Sep, 01:30, "Richard J." wrote:
Jim Gemineye wrote:
BobCrowwants the underground, railways and buses back in public
ownership.
I couldn't agree more, because I'm a Eurosceptic,

You don't need to be a Eurosceptic to agree with that.

but doesBobCrow
realise that if we nationalise our transport system we will be in
breach of the EU policy of economic liberalisation (as they put it).

In Paris, the Metro and buses are nationalised (or perhaps
"regionalised"; not privatised anyway). French railways have split the
infrastructure organisation (RFF) from the trains (SNCF) to meet EU
accounting rules, but both are still nationalised. Why couldn't we do
the same?

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

Market liberalisation is an on going process and does not take place
uniformally - France is particularly sensitive to privatisation as a
quick Google shows: http://cnbceb.com/2006/01/01/francerevolution/

There was some attempt to prepare for privatisation of French Railways
a few years back, but government backed down after strong protest -
but they will try again. That's the way the EU works, by degrees,
slowly, slowly catchee monkey - as they say!