Staying on Track? Discrepancies, Doubts and Dilemmas Confronting Regulatory Authorities in the Dutch Railway Sector

Abstract

This article dives into the pivotal role of national regulatory authorities in applying, monitoring, and enforcing the ever-expanding body of EU rules governing railways. It particularly examines the alignment between the Dutch and European legal frameworks, flagging predicaments arising in theory and practice, employing the classic lenses of the 'law in the books' and the 'law in action'. Through document analysis, with the aid of case studies and empirical data highlighting the role of key authorities in the sector, it exposes several domestic implementation gaps. Moreover, the contribution draws attention to a series of practical dilemmas that play up in the application and enforcement stage, owing seemingly to the shift from a rule-based to a risk-based philosophy —alongside an over-zealous cleaning-up of the national statute book, attempts to accommodate specific political preferences, as well as a continuous pressure to keep up with supranational modifications. Planned amendments to the tasks of the discussed authorities, together with coping strategies that are already in the pipeline, offer viable solutions that should at least mitigate, if not resolve, the main issues this study brings to the fore.