History
NMBS/SNCB is an autonomous government company, formed in 1926. In 2005, the company was split up into three parts: Infrabel, which manages the railway infrastructure, network operations and network access, the public railway operator SNCB itself to manage the freight (B-Cargo) and passenger services, and SNCB-Holding, which owns both public companies and supervises the collaboration between them. Essentially, this was a move to facilitate future liberalisation of railway freight and passenger services in agreement with European regulations. Several freight operators have since received access permissions for the Belgian network. In February 2011, SNCB Logistics began operating as a separate business.
Faced with rising losses, in June 2012, the Belgian transport minister announced further reform: SNCB Holding would be split up, so SNCB (the train operator) would be separate from Infrabel (the infrastructure owner). Unions oppose the reform.
Read more about this topic: National Railway Company Of Belgium
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