RZD to set railroad shipment tariffs in Customs Union starting in 2013
MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - OJSC Russian Railways (RZD) will be granted the function of independently setting tariffs for railroad shipments in Customs Union countries in the framework of the 'tariff corridor' established by regulators starting in 2013, deputy head of the transport regulation division of Russia's Federal Tariff Service (FTS) Alevtina Kirillova said at a Guild of Freight Forwarders conference in Moscow.
"Starting on January 1, 2013, RZD will be endowed with the right to make changes to tariff levels on railroad freight shipments based on economic expediency in the framework of the price limits established by regulating bodies," she said.
The corresponding decisions were made in the context of the agreement reached to create the Customs Union. The FTS is now elaborating the necessary method for determining limits (minimum and maximum) on tariff levels for services rendered by natural monopolies (the 'price corridor'), Kirillova said.
The goal of the decision is to enhance railway transport competition and to attract more freight volumes to the industry.