The principles of allocation infrastructure capacities on the European Rail Freight Corridors (RFC)

ith the process of deciding which request should have priority together with the other C-OSSs. In any case, the applicant will be consulted by the responsible C- OSS. Description of common offers on overlapping sections is to be displayed on a map in Annex 4C to the CID of each Corridor. 3.4.6 Feeder, outflow and tailor-made paths In case available PaPs do not cover the entire requested path, the applicant may include a feeder and/or outflow path to the PaP section(s) in the international request addressed to the C-OSS via PCS in a single request. A feeder/outflow path refers to any path section prior to reaching an Intermediate Point on a corridor (feeder path) or any path section after leaving a corridor at an Intermediate Point (outflow path). Feeder / outflow paths will be constructed on request in the PCS dossiers concerned by following the national path allocation rules. The offer is communicated to the applicant by the C-OSS within the same time frame available for the communication of the requested PaPs. Requesting a tailor-made path between two PaP sections is possible, but because of the difficulty for IMs/ABs to link two PaP sections, a suitable offer might be less likely (for further explanation see 3.4.16). Graph with possible scenarios for feeder/outflow paths in connection with a request for one or more PaP section(s): 3.4.7 Handling of requests The C-OSS publishes the PaP catalogue at X-11 in PCS, inspects it in cooperation with IMs/ABs, and performs all needed corrections of errors detected by any of the involved parties until X-10.5. Applicants can submit their Network Statement - 2026 ANNEX 4.b Version: 15.0.0 Update: 15.12.2024 Pag: 9 / 21  Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate “CFR” S.A. România requests until X-8. The C-OSS offers a single point of contact to applicants, allowing them to submit requests and receive answers regarding corridor capacity for international freight trains crossing at least one border on a corridor in one single operation. If requested, the C-OSS can support applicants in creating the dossiers in order to prevent inconsistencies and guide the applicants’ expectations. The IMs/ABs may support the applicants by providing a technical check of the requests. 3.4.8 Leading tool for handling of capacity requests Applicants sending requests to the C-OSS shall use PCS. Within the construction process of feeder and/or outflow paths and tailor-made paths, the national tool may show additional information to the applicant. The following matrix shows for each step of the process which tool is considered as the leading tool. Phase Application Withdrawal Pre-booking Draft Observation Final Accepeptance Modification Cancellation (till x-8) (x-8) (x-7,5) offer (x- 5 till x-4) offer (until x-3) (after x-4) (după x-4) (x-5) (x- 3,5) Leading National National PCS PCS PCS PCS PCS PCS PCS tool tool/PCS* tool/PCS* Additional Email tool (for prebooking information) * To be checked by each IM, whether requests for modification or cancellation via PCS are accepted. If applicable, the following sentence shall be added: Modifications/Cancellations after X-4 have to be placed in the [IMs name/tool]. 3.4.9 Check of the applications The C-OSS assumes that the applicant has accepted the published PaP characteristics by requesting the selected PaP. However, for all incoming capacity requests it will perform the following plausibility checks:  Request for freight train using PaP and crossing at least one border on a corridor  Request without major change of parameters If there are plausibility flaws, the C-OSS may check with the applicant whether these can be resolved:  if the issue can be solved, the request will be corrected by the C-OSS (after the approval of the applicants concerned) and processed like all other requests. The applicant has to accept or reject the corrections within 5 calendar days. In case the applicant does not answer or reject the corrections, the C-OSS forwards the original request to the IM/AB concerned.  if the issue cannot be resolved, the request will be rejected. All requests not respecting the published offer are immediately forwarded by the C-OSS to the IM/AB concerned for further treatment. In those cases, answers are provided by the involved IM/AB. The IMs/ABs will accept them as placed in time (i.e. until X-8). In case of some Corridors additional checks may be applied. For the description of these additional checks refer to the CIDs of individual Corridors. In case of missing or inconsistent data the C-OSS directly contacts the leading applicant and asks for the relevant data update/changes to be delivered within 5 calendar days. In general: in case a request contains PaPs on several corridors, the C-OSSs concerned check the capacity request in cooperation with the other involved C-OSS(s) to ensure their cooperation in treating multiple corridor requests. Network Statement - 2026 ANNEX 4.b Version: 15.0.0 Update: 15.12.2024 Pag: 10 / 21  Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate “CFR” S.A. România This way, the cumulated length of PaPs requested on each corridor is used to calculate the priority value (K value) of possible conflicting requests (see more details in 3.4.11). The different corridors can thus be seen as part of one combined network. 3.4.10 Pre-booking phase In the event of conflicting requests for PaPs placed until X-8, a priority rule is applied. The priority rules are stated in the FCA (see 3.1) and in 3.4.11. On behalf of the IMs/ABs concerned and according to the result of the application of the priority rules - as detailed in 3.4.11 - the C-OSS pre-books the PaPs. The C-OSS also forwards the requested feeder/outflow path and/or adjustment to the IMs/ABs concerned for elaboration of a timetable offer fitting to the PaP already reserved (pre-booked), just as might be the case with requests with a lower priority value (priority rule process below). The latter will be handled in the following order: - consultation may be applied - alternatives may be offered (if available) if none of the above steps were applied or successful, the requested timetable will be forwarded to the IMs/ABs concerned to elaborate a tailor-made offer as close as possible to the initial request. 3.4.11 Priority rules in capacity allocation Conflicts are solved with the following steps, which are in line with the FCA: A) A resolution through consultation may be promoted and performed between applicants and the C- OSS, if the following criteria are met: o The conflict is only on a single corridor. o Suitable alternative PaPs are available. B) Applying the priority rule as described in Annex 1 of the FCA (see 3.1) and in 3.4.13 and 3.4.14. a. Cases where no Network PaP is involved (see 3.4.13) b. Cases where Network PaP is involved in at least one of the requests (see 3.4.14) The Table of Distances in Annex 4.E to the CID of each Corridor shows the distances taken into account in the priority calculation. C) Random selection (see 3.4.15). In the case that more than one PaP is available for the published reference PaP, the C-OSS prebooks the PaPs with the highest priority until the published threshold is reached. When this threshold is reached, the C-OSS will apply the procedure for handling requests with a lower priority as listed above. In case of some Corridors the resolution through consultation may be applied. For the description of such resolution through consultation refer to the CIDs of individual Corridors. 3.4.12 Network PaP A Network PaP is not a path product. However, certain PaPs may be designated by Corridors as ‘Network PaPs’, in most cases for capacity requests involving more than one Corridor. Network PaPs are designed to be taken into account for the definition of the priority of a request, for example on PaP sections with scarce capacity. The aim is to make the best use of available capacity and provide a better match with traffic demand. For the time being, Network PaPs are not being offered by any of the Corridors. Network Statement - 2026 ANNEX 4.b Version: 15.0.0 Update: 15.12.2024 Pag: 11 / 21  Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate “CFR” S.A. România 3.4.13 Priority rule in case no Network PaP is involved The priority is calculated according to this formula: K = (LPAP + LF/O) x YRD LPAP = Total requested length of all PaP sections on all involved RFCs included in one request. The definition of a request can be found in 3.3. LF/O = Total requested length of the feeder/outflow path(s) included in one request; for the sake of practicality, is assumed to be the distance as the crow flies. YRD = Number of requested running days for the timetable period. A running day will only be taken into account for the priority calculation if it refers to a date with a published PaP offer for the given section. K = The rate for priority All lengths are counted in kilometres. The method of applying this formula is: − in a first step the priority value (K) is calculated using only the total requested length of pre-arranged path (LPAP) multiplied by the Number of requested running days (YRD); − if the requests cannot be separated in this way, the priority value (K) is calculated using the total length of the complete paths (LPAP + LF/O) multiplied by the number of requested running days (YRD) in order to separate the requests; − if the requests cannot be separated in this way, a random selection is used to separate the requests. This random selection is described in 3.4.15. 3.4.14 Priority rule if a Network PaP is involved in at least one of the conflicting requests For the time being, Network PaPs are not being offered by any of the Corridors. 3.4.15 Random selection If the requests cannot be separated by the above-mentioned priority rules, a random selection is used to separate the requests.  The respective applicants will be acknowledged of the undecided conflict before X-7.5 and invited to attend a drawing of lots.  The actual drawing will be prepared and executed by the C-OSS, with complete transparency.  The result of the drawing will be communicated to all involved parties, present or not, via PCS and e-mail, before X-7.5. In case of some Corridors a different rule for the random selection process may be applied. For the description of such different rule for the random selection process refer to the CIDs of individual Corridors. 3.4.16 Special cases of requests and their treatment The following special use of PaPs is known out of the allocation within the past timetables: Division of continuous offer in shares identified by the PaP ID (PaPs / non-PaPs). This refers to the situation when applicants request corridor capacity (on one or more corridors) in the following order: 1) PaP section 2) Tailor-made section PaP section Network Statement - 2026 ANNEX 4.b Version: 15.0.0 Update: 15.12.2024 Pag: 12 / 21  Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate “CFR” S.A. România These requests will be taken into consideration, depending on the construction starting point in the request, as follows:  Construction starting point at the beginning: The C-OSS pre-books the PaP sections from origin until the end of the first continuous PaP section. No section after the interruption of PaP sections will be pre-booked; they will be treated as tailor-made.  Construction starting point at the end: The C-OSS pre-books the PaP sections from the destination of the request until the beginning of the last continuous PaP section. No sections between the origin and the interruption of the PaP sections will be prebooked; they will be treated as tailor-made.  Construction starting point in the middle: The C-OSS pre-books the longest of the requested PaP sections either before or after the interruption. No other sections will be pre-booked; they will be treated as tailor-made. However, in each of the above cases, the requested PaP capacity that becomes tailor-made might be allocated at a later stage if the IMs/ABs can deliver the tailor-made share as requested. In case of allocation, the PaP share that can become tailor-made retains full protection. This type of request doesn’t influence the application of the priority rule. 3.4.17 Result of the pre-booking The C-OSS provides interim information to applicants regarding the status of their application no later than X- 7.5. In the case that consultation was applied, the applicants concerned are informed about the outcome. In the case that no consultation was applied, the interim notification informs applicants with a higher priority value (K value) about pre-booking decisions in their favour. In case of conflicting requests with a lower priority value, the C-OSS shall offer an alternative PaP, if available. The applicant concerned has to accept or reject the offered alternative within 5 calendar days. In case the applicant does not answer, or rejects the alternative, or no alternative is available, the C-OSS forwards the original request to the IM/AB concerned. The C-OSS informs the applicants with a lower priority value (K value) by X-7.5 that their path request has been forwarded to the IM/AB concerned for further treatment within the regular process for the annual timetable construction, and that the C-OSS will provide the draft path offer on behalf of the IM/AB Network Statement - 2026 ANNEX 4.b Version: 15.0.0 Update: 15.12.2024 Pag: 13 / 21  Compania Naţională de Căi Ferate “CFR” S.A. România concerned at X-5 via PCS. These applications are handled by the IM/AB concerned as on-time applications for the annual timetable and are therefore included in the regular national construction process of the annual timetable. 3.4.18 Handling of non-requested PaPs There are two ways of handling non-requested PaPs at X-7.5, based on the decision of the MB. A) After pre-booking, all non-requested PaPs are handed over to the IM/AB.