France · Competition
How Alstom's Bombardier deal sent rail assets to CAF and Hitachi
The European Commission cleared Alstom's acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in July 2020 subject to commitments. The transaction closed in 2021, followed by separate transfers affecting regional and very high-speed trains.
Sources checked
- 31 July 2020Conditional clearance
European Commission approved the acquisition subject to commitments. Source 1
- 29 January 2021Main acquisition closed
Alstom completed the purchase of Bombardier Transportation. Source 3
- 29 March 2022Commission approved Hitachi as purchaser
The decision covers Bombardier's scope of the Zefiro V300 platform. Source 1
- 1 August 2022CAF divestment completed
Alstom reported transfer of the Coradia Polyvalent platform, Reichshoffen site and TALENT 3 platform. Source 4
The main acquisition and the asset transfers reached separate milestones.
The clearance set conditions for the rail deal
The Commission's 31 July 2020 decision approved Alstom's acquisition of sole control of Bombardier Transportation subject to commitments. The measures covered assets and access arrangements across regional rail, very high-speed rail and certain signalling systems. Source 1 Source 2
CAF took a French site and two regional train platforms
The package sold to CAF included Alstom's Coradia Polyvalent platform and the Reichshoffen production site, as well as TALENT 3, a platform developed in Hennigsdorf. The combined package gave the purchaser manufacturing capability in France and rights over two platforms. Source 4
Hitachi was approved for a separate high-speed scope
The Commission approved Hitachi as purchaser of Bombardier's share of the Zefiro V300 platform after reviewing the proposed buyer. Alstom's description of the commitment also included an offer of an intellectual property licence for use in future UK very high-speed tenders. Source 1 Source 2
Customer contracts crossed the transfer dates
Alstom said it would honour remaining TALENT 3 obligations and work in a consortium with CAF to fulfil existing rolling-stock contracts from Reichshoffen. Transfer of a production site or platform can coexist with continued obligations on orders signed before the transfer. Source 4