EU barriers to state ownership do exist | Letters
Polly Toynbee (Labour should exploit the Tories' disarray on Europe, not copy it, 25 June) claims it is wrong to suggest the EU prevents state ownership and gives as an example how European rail networks remain state-owned; she should have added "for now". The market pillar of the fourth rail package, as agreed in April 2016, mandates "more competition and performance targets for public service contracts, so as to improve cost-efficiency and get better value for money for taxpayers", which sounds wearingly familiar. And with 2020 as the target date.
Given that the EU court of justice has deliberated that article 106 of the Single Market Act - the one prohibiting renationalisation - gives private companies the right to argue before their national courts that services must remain open to private-sector competition, it is hard to see any wriggle room there when Jeremy Corbyn seeks to implement his manifesto.
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