The Evolution of Organizational Forms in European Public Transport During the Last 15 years

Abstract

This chapter provided an overview on some evolutions in the legal and organizational setting of public transport in Europe. The spread of contracting, mostly in combination with competitive tendering, is incontestably one of the main features of the reform of organizational forms in European public transport over the past two decades. The ensuing internationalization of the market, with the appearance of larger international operators is another main feature of the chapter. Using a concept for the economics of institutions, one can say that the introduction of contracting and tendering in Europe took place through changes at three different levels. First, through change in contractual content (France and Sweden) with the same governance form and the legal setting. Second, through change in governance form by introducing new organizational forms within existing or amended legal settings (Germany). Finally, through change in legal settings altogether (the Netherlands) for a further elaboration upon these concepts, linking them to barriers to change in the Dutch case. Further changes linked with the pending adoption of a new European Regulation on this matter may revolutionize the sector in those countries that have had a conservative stance until now. Nevertheless, even after so many years of discussion, and for reasons enunciated here, the final word has not yet been pronounced and it is questionable whether the epilogue was performed in 2004.