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GETLINK

GETLINK

Getlink manages the Channel Tunnel connecting the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Jan Hendrik Dopheide (Cabinet of Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič)

24 Oct 2025 · EU-UK relations following the May Summit

Getlink urges EU to align maritime and land social standards

9 Sept 2025
Topic — Action plan to deepen implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Message — Getlink requests that social rights for seafarers on short-distance routes be aligned with land-based standards. They also call for revising worker posting regulations to include coastal maritime services.12
Why — Aligning standards would eliminate the unfair competitive advantage currently enjoyed by ferry operators.3
Impact — Maritime operators using flags of convenience would face significantly higher labor and social costs.4
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Meeting with Valérie Devaux (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Sept 2025 · Tunnel sous la Manche

Meeting with Gosia Pearson (Cabinet of Commissioner Magnus Brunner)

13 May 2025 · Eurotunnel operations and the upcoming Entry-Exit System (EES)

Response to Connecting Europe through high-speed rail

8 May 2025

Getlink/Eurotunnel is the operator of the Channel Tunnel, the worlds longest undersea tunnel and a critical infrastructure linking the UK and the EU since 1994. Eurotunnel plays a key role in ensuring seamless passenger and freight connectivity across the Channel, providing a vital link for both economic exchange and mobility. As a major infrastructure manager and operator, Eurotunnel welcomes the European Commissions consultation aimed at accelerating the implementation of an EU-wide high-speed rail network. We appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this strategic discussion, especially in light of the ambitions outlined in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. KEY RECOMMANDATIONS ENSURING CROSS-CHANNEL CONNECTIVITY The development of a HS rail network must adequately integrate the UK, particularly through the Channel Tunnel. As a vital link between the UK and mainland Europe, the Channel Tunnel plays a critical role in enabling seamless connectivity. Any strategic plan for a HS rail network linking capital cities should recognise and enhance this unique cross-border connection. Call for Action: We urge EU policymakers to explicitly include the Channel Tunnel in the strategic planning of the high-speed rail network, ensuring dedicated resources and policies to strengthen this vital connection. SUPPORTING NEW COMMERCIAL SERVICES The expansion of infrastructure must be complemented by concrete measures to support the development of new commercial rail services. The de facto monopoly for rail passenger services in the Channel Tunnel demonstrates the urgency to act. A key barrier to market entry is the restricted access to critical facilities, particularly the Temple Mills International (TMI) depot operated by the incumbent railway undertaking. The recent independent report commissioned by the UK Office of Rail and Road (ORR) confirms that there is available capacity at the TMI depot for additional trains to be stabled, serviced, and maintained. Some of this capacity can be accessed without changes to current operational practices. This situation highlights the importance of ensuring access to such facilities for interested new entrants. The EU action plan should include: The effective implementation of competition and open access rules, including access to maintenance and train storage facilities. Reinforcing industrial capacity to ensure the timely delivery of interoperable HS rolling stock. Stabilising and securing norms and standards to avoid delays in rolling stock deployment. Adapting stations to meet evolving passenger needs and ensure accessibility for all operators. The Action Plan should also take into account specific needs for border controls. Call for Action: We call on the European Commission to adopt a comprehensive action plan that includes enforcing competition rules, enhancing industrial capacity, and stabilizing standards to support the growth of new services. STRENGTHENING TSIS WITHOUT OVERBURDENING OPERATORS While enhancing interoperability is crucial to achieving a truly interconnected HS rail network, it is essential that these efforts do not impose excessive administrative or financial burdens on infrastructure managers and railway undertakings. A balanced approach should be adopted to facilitate interoperability while preserving the competitiveness of all stakeholders. In addition, the deployment of signalling technologies, in particular ETCS and FRMCS, over the network must be a priority and fund accordingly. Such technologies will ensure safe and efficient travel between capital cities for passengers. Call for Action: We recommend the adoption of interoperability standards that are both ambitious and pragmatic, ensuring that infrastructure managers and railway undertakings can comply without facing disproportionate administrative or financial burdens. The CEF must be maintained and reinforced, including by increasing unit costs for ERTMS deployment.
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Meeting with Annukka Ojala (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu), Francesco Corti (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu) and Grayling

9 Apr 2025 · Getlink has requested this meeting to discuss about maritime social dumping and the Quality Jobs Roadmap

Meeting with Charlotte Merlier (Cabinet of Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič), Jan Hendrik Dopheide (Cabinet of Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič)

20 Feb 2025 · Introductory meeting / EU-UK and customs questions

Meeting with Anne-Maud Orlinski (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen), Tomas Anker Christensen (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

5 Feb 2025 · Presentation of the project of Getlink and the future deployment of Eleclink.

Getlink urges pragmatic EU-UK reset to improve Single Market

31 Jan 2025
Topic — A consultation on further developing the Single Market to enhance global competitiveness.
Message — Getlink encourages a pragmatic reset in EU-UK relations to simplify border controls and reduce costs. They request streamlined implementation of the Entry/Exit System to avoid disrupting transport hubs. The organization also supports measures facilitating the expansion of international rail passenger and freight services.123
Why — Streamlined border procedures and improved EU-UK cooperation would lower operational costs and delays.4
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Meeting with Nora Mebarek (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Nov 2024 · dumping social transmanche

Meeting with Clare Daly (Member of the European Parliament) and EUROTRAN Conseil

12 Feb 2024 · Infrastructure capacity - GETLINK

Response to Measures to better manage and coordinate international rail traffic to increase the modal share of rail

17 Nov 2023

Getlink manages the cross-Channel Fixed Link from the European continent to the United Kingdom via its subsidiary Eurotunnel. It generally welcomes the willingness to promote rail from an environmental perspective and the desire to improve the management of international cross-border train paths. However, Getlink notes that the case of an infrastructure shared with third countries, such as the cross-Channel Fixed Link, is not intended to be dealt with in the context of this proposal. This is explained by the fact that cross-Channel train paths form an operational continuity between French and British border terminals and cannot be subject to a separation between two regulatory regimes: a European and a British one. Continuity is consubstantial with the operation of an infrastructure based on a binational foundation, that is, the Treaty of Canterbury associated with the Concession entered jointly by France and the United Kingdom with the concessionaire Eurotunnel. Getlink also notes that the compatibility of this bi-national basis with European rules has resulted, since Brexit, in the adoption of specific bi-national agreements (on drivers, operating licenses, safety and interoperability) which make it possible to introduce a form of mutual recognition of authorisations and regimes. In this regard, it is essential that the decision of the European Parliament and the Council authorising France and the United Kingdom to conclude an agreement on the safety and interoperability of the cross-Channel Fixed Link is adopted swiftly. With regard to the obligations of continental infrastructure managers, Getlink calls for a simplification of governance processes and reduction of administrative burden, taking into account the experience gained with rail freight corridors. In the specific case of the Channel Tunnel Fixed Link, the principles as set out in this proposal are not enforceable in the absence of an agreement with the United Kingdom. Getlink notes also that the approach of the Commission departs from the rail recast approach under Directive 2012/34/EC which consolidated all the rules in a single document. We would be faced now with another regulation amending part of the existing regulatory framework which could lead to some confusion. Finally, we point out that the Channel Tunnel Fixed Link is a specialised infrastructure financed, built and operated by private concessionaires without recourse to public funds, and managed to the highest intensity of productivity, efficiency and genuine open access, with expert teams and unique competence not found in mainstream state-owned infrastructures. Operation of this exceptional infrastructure at standards of efficiency found in other networks would invariably affect the operational and commercial efficiency of the system, putting at risk the economic balance of the Fixed Link concession, with profound consequences for the concessionaires and both contracting states.
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Meeting with Pablo Fabregas Martinez (Cabinet of Commissioner Adina Vălean) and Grayling

27 Sept 2023 · Regulatory frameworks affecting rail and operations of Getlink

Meeting with Nathalie Loiseau (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Feb 2023 · Brexit et connexion transmanche

Meeting with Pablo Fabregas Martinez (Cabinet of Commissioner Adina Vălean)

5 Jan 2023 · Upcoming implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) Regulation

Response to Digitalisation of travel documents and facilitation of travel

29 Sept 2022

Getlink (anciennement Groupe Eurotunnel) est présent dans les infrastructures ferroviaires, le transport de fret ferroviaire et d’énergie. Getlink détient à 100 % Eurotunnel, le lien fixe entre l’Europe et la Grande-Bretagne. Eurotunnel est le lien vital entre l’Europe et la Grande Bretagne. • Plus de 2 millions de voitures traversent chaque année depuis l’ouverture du tunnel soit 74 % des automobilistes franchissant le détroit dont beaucoup sont des touristes. • 1,4 de camions transitent par Eurotunnel soit une part de marché de 40 %. • Les jours de pointe, les terminaux d’Eurotunnel voient passer plus de 15 000 véhicules. Eurotunnel est un système conçu pour permettre la fluidité des passages frontière. En ce sens, nous souscrivons totalement aux objectifs de la Commission dans cette étude d’impact qui vise à: • faciliter le franchissement des frontières extérieures, • alléger la pression et les goulets d’étranglement aux points de passage frontaliers et raccourcir les délais d’attente, • accroître la sécurité et l’efficience des vérifications aux frontières. Eurotunnel soutient par conséquent la vision de la Commission dans sa volonté de traiter de façon uniforme les contrôles aux frontières extérieures de l’Union et aux frontières intracommunautaires en ayant recours à la norme DTC de l’OACI, reconnue internationalement. Eurotunnel est ainsi en ligne avec la proposition n° 6 « Passeport numérique/carte d’identité numérique permettant des voyages totalement fluides » qui « ...permettraient aux voyageurs de franchir les frontières sans être soumis à une vérification aux frontières… » pourvu que les dispositions de contrôle dématérialisé soient compatibles avec des passagers véhiculés, soumis à des contrôles frontaliers juxtaposés. En effet, Eurotunnel est un point de passage frontalier sous régime de contrôles juxtaposés : tout gain de fluidité sur les contrôles frontière UE devra en effet pouvoir être reconduit sur les contrôles frontières du Royaume-Uni situés en proximité immédiate. Eurotunnel souhaite ici attirer l’attention sur charge la financière et la complexité opérationnelle que des changements tels que l’Entry Exit System font porter aux gestionnaires d’infrastructure. Il est donc fondamental que les projets de dématérialisation des documents de voyages soient bien planifiés sur le long terme et soient compatibles non seulement avec des initiatives déjà engagées par la Commission comme EES, mais également avec les contraintes opérationnelles d’un point de passage frontalier commun avec passagers véhiculés Nous nous tenons à la disposition de la DG HOME/B1 pour évoquer tel ou tel aspect de ce qui précède.
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Meeting with Gerassimos Thomas (Director-General Taxation and Customs Union)

17 Nov 2020 · Readiness for the end of the transition period (Brexit)

Meeting with Jocelyn Fajardo (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

22 Nov 2017 · Meeting with Mr Souvras

Response to Access to service facilities and rail-related services

16 Aug 2017

Eurotunnel welcomes the public consultation regarding the draft Implementing Regulation on access to service facilities and use of rail-related services. General remarks: - Eurotunnel benefits from the exemption of Article 2.9 of Recast Directive 2012/34: “9. This Directive shall not apply to undertakings the business of which is limited to providing solely shuttle services for road vehicles through undersea tunnels or to transport operations in the form of shuttle services for road vehicles through such tunnels except Article 6(1) and (4) and Articles 10, 11, 12 and 28.” Article 13 on the conditions of access to services does therefore not apply to the Channel Tunnel Fixed Link shuttle services. This has been explicitely recognised by the French Decree n° 2016-1468 on access to service facilities: this Decree does not apply to facilities dedicated to shuttle services in the Fixed Link. - Eurotunnel welcomes the reference that the draft Implementing Regulation makes to the scope of Recast Directive 2012/34. Its first recital indeed provides that the Regulation takes “into account the purpose and scope of Directive 2012/34/EU ». - For the sake of legal clarity and consistency, Eurotunnel recommends mentioning explicitely Articles 1 and 2 of Recast Directive 2012/34 in this first recital. While Article 1 of the Recast Directive deals with the “subject-matter and scope”, Article 2 details the “exclusions from the scope”. The proposed amendment is presented in the attached file.
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Response to Schedule for the rail infrastructure capacity allocation process

14 Apr 2017

Eurotunnel takes note of the proposed revised timetabling rules (Annex VII of Directive 2012/34/EU), opened to the public consultation. General remarks: • The proposed act is clearly designed for national IMs managing a whole network and partly funded by public subsidies. For such public IMs, economic signals are therefore not sufficient per se to incentivise reduction of engineering possessions. By contrast, Eurotunnel is an operator exclusively funded via track access charges. It has not received any public subsidy. As a consequence, the risk of traffic shifting to other modes is already a vastly sufficient deterrent and incentive. • Eurotunnel is already coordinating with neighbouring infrastructure managers since 1994. For obvious geographic reasons, it has to rely on the French and British infrastructure managers as well as on High Speed 1 and on Infrabel. Eurotunnel is also an active member of the North-Sea-Med Railfreight Corridor. • Because of the absence of diversionary lines/alternative routes, service facilities, several aspects of the draft delegated act are not applicable to the Fixed Link. These provisions would only create legal uncertainty. • In the context of Brexit and uncertainty on the future British regulatory framework, due care needs to be given to the binational regulation of the Fixed Link. • The legal basis of Directive 2012/34 allowing a delegated act must be respected. Article 43.2 focuses on operational considerations and stresses the principle of proportionality: “Annex VII may be amended to take into account operational considerations of the allocation process. Those amendments shall be based on what is necessary in the light of experience in order to ensure an efficient allocation process and to reflect the operational concerns of the infrastructure managers ». Therefore, the delegated act should not enclose any provisions impinging on : o other parts of the Recast, such as Article 45 « Scheduling » or Article 53 «Infrastructure capacity for maintenance » ; o service facilities, which is a topic currently being discussed through another text. • Additional legislative measures are unnecessary, and potentially counterproductive : cumbersome planning procedures will distract focus towards administrative and regulatory burden, and away from traffic development and efficiency. Directive 2012/34 itself specifies an overall objective to allow efficient use of infrastructure (Article 26), which should thus comprise the reduction of administrative constraints.  Therefore, the text should : o take due care of operational contraints, o respect the legal basis of the Recast Directive 2012/34; o enclose a provision exempting rail infrastructure that do not dispose of alternative or diversionary routes from the application of the additional points of Annex VII. The proposed amendments are presented in the attached file.
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Meeting with Henrik Hololei (Director-General Mobility and Transport)

3 Dec 2015 · 4th Railway Package

Meeting with Violeta Bulc (Commissioner) and

20 Oct 2015 · Visiting operations of Eurotunnel

Meeting with Diane Schmitt (Cabinet of Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos), Olivier Bergeau (Cabinet of Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos)

13 Oct 2015 · Migrant situation near the Channel Tunnel

Meeting with Desiree Oen (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

18 Jun 2015 · 4th railway package, white paper, EFSI

Meeting with Jocelyn Fajardo (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

17 Jun 2015 · Meeting with Eurotunnel

Meeting with Desiree Oen (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

17 Jun 2015 · White paper- recast 1RP- EFSI- CEF

Meeting with Joao Aguiar Machado (Director-General Mobility and Transport)

8 Jan 2015 · 4th railway package, non-tariff barriers - rail freight in the channel Tunnel, IGC, application UK against extension of the north sea-Mediterranen corridor, TEN-T subvention