24/7 Space News
FAST TRACK
Chinese train maker withdraws from Bulgaria tender after EU probe
Chinese train maker withdraws from Bulgaria tender after EU probe
by AFP Staff Writers
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) Mar 26, 2024

Chinese rail giant CRRC has withdrawn from a tendered project in Bulgaria after the EU last month launched a probe into it over suspected subsidies, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

As a result of CRRC's withdrawal, the commission "will close its in-depth investigation", it said.

Brussels had announced the probe on February 16, with EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton at the time saying CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive was thought to have relied on subsidies to "submit an unduly advantageous offer" to try to win the tender for electric trains in Bulgaria.

On Tuesday, the commission said it "takes note of the withdrawal" by CRRC.

"In just a few weeks, our first investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation has already yielded results," Breton said.

He said that Europe's single market remained open "for firms that are truly competitive and play fair" but that Brussels will take "all necessary measures to preserve Europe's economic security and competitiveness".

Bulgaria's tender was for the purchase of 20 electric trains, and their maintenance over 15 years, for a total value of around 610 million euros ($660 million).

CRRC is the world's largest train manufacturer. It has contracts in more than 110 countries and regions, from US cities to India and Latin America.

Under the EU's Foreign Subsidies Regulation, firms have to notify the European Commission of any public procurement tenders in the EU worth more than 250 million euros, if they were also granted at least four million euros in foreign financial contributions in the three prior years.

The EU has recently stepped up scrutiny of Chinese companies that may be benefiting from state subsidies to outbid rivals.

In September, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen announced a probe into Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles judged by European industry to be "artificially low".

And in January, Brussels unveiled policies to prevent sensitive technology or infrastructure from falling into the hands of economic rivals such as China.

Related Links
Great Train Journey's of the 21st Century

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FAST TRACK
Transport of the future? Europe's longest hyperloop centre opens
Veendam, Netherlands (AFP) Mar 26, 2024
Europe's longest tunnel for testing hyperloop technology opens Wednesday in the Netherlands, with operators hoping passengers could one day be whisked from Amsterdam to Barcelona in a couple of hours. On a disused railway centre near Veendam in the north of the country sits a sleek Y-shaped white tunnel 420 metres (1,380 feet) long made up of 34 interconnected pipes around 2.5 metres wide. Nearly all the air is sucked out of the tunnel to reduce air resistance and a vehicle is propelled using ma ... read more

FAST TRACK
NanoAvionics Partners with Neuraspace for Advanced Space Traffic Management Solutions

Russia's Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft docks to ISS

Advanced Space Revolutionizes Moon Navigation with AI-Powered CAPSTONE Experiment

Xi tells Dutch PM Rutte 'no force can stop' China tech progress

FAST TRACK
SpaceX sends 23 more Starlink satellites into orbit in Falcon 9 launch from Florida

Spaceport Nova Scotia Partners with Impulso.Space for Enhanced Launch Services from Florida

Rocket Lab Marks Milestone with Successful Launch of NRO Mission from US Soil

Final Voyage Delayed: ULA Postpones Last Delta IV Heavy Launch with Classified NRO Payload

FAST TRACK
European Scientists Unveil Detailed Mars Map Ahead of Rosalind Franklin Rover Mission

Sun Blob Blues Sols 4134-4135

Curiosity's Encore Journey Along Upper Gediz Vallis Ridge

A Return to Your Regularly Scheduled Touch-And-Go: Sols 4130-4131

FAST TRACK
Shenzhou 17 astronauts complete China's first in-space repair job

Tiangong Space Station's Solar Wings Restored After Spacewalk Repair by Shenzhou XVII Team

BIT advances microbiological research on Chinese Space Station

Chang'e 6 and new rockets highlight China's packed 2024 space agenda

FAST TRACK
Four veteran space industry leaders join Astrobotic as company turn to Griffin-1 project

Antaris and Aalyria unite for satellite network simulations

Rivada Space Networks Unveils OuterNET: A Global Communications Revolution

Airbus Prepares EUTELSAT 36D Satellite for Launch with Innovative BelugaST Transport

FAST TRACK
UC San Diego Scientists Unveil Plant-Based Polymers that Biodegrade Microplastics in Months

Large language models use a surprisingly simple mechanism to retrieve some stored knowledge

Stanford revolutionizing material science wih shapeshifting nanoparticles

New Study Unveils Inadequacies in Traditional Theories of Van Allen Belts

FAST TRACK
Unveiling hydrogen's role in life's early energy mechanisms

Life Detection on Ice Moons Could Be Within Reach, New Study Shows

Loathed by scientists, loved by nature: sulfur and the origin of life

Webb finds ethanol, other icy ingredients for making planets

FAST TRACK
Unlocking the Secrets of Eternal Ice in the Kuiper Belt

Hubble's Latest Gaze Reveals Jupiter's Dynamic Weather Patterns

NASA Armstrong Updates 1960s Concept to Study Giant Planets

NASA's Europa Jupiter Mission will be packed with humanity's messages

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.