transport

Transport

Our expertise

In response to the drive by EU legislation, the French rail sector is gradually opening up to competition. While rail freight transport has been liberalised since April 2006 and cross-border passenger travel since December 2009, domestic passenger travel has only recently been opened up to competition.  As is the case in all network industries, this liberalisation trend, which required an independent regulator to be formed (currently the French Transport Regulatory Authority (ART)), has created issues relating to regulatory or competition matters (organisation and management of competitive operations and SNCF’s monopoly, network management methods, electricity supply management for traction current, etc.).

Magenta has solid expertise and industry knowledge of the sector and helps clients (rail companies or authorised candidates) deal with all operational issues.

Our work

Assisting various rail companies in sanctions proceedings aimed at securing compliance with injunctions relating to decisions by the French Rail and Road Operations Regulatory Authority (ARAFER) nos. 213-016 to 2013-019 of 1 October 2013 (ART decision no. CS-2023-001 of 27 June 2023).
Dispute resolution acting for four rail companies against SNCF Réseau relating to allocation of train paths, management and use of reserved infrastructure capacity for works, and the principles and processes of compensation (ART decision no. 2022-059 of 28 July 2022).
Dispute resolution acting for French regions relating to the terms and conditions applied by SNCF Mobilités and SNCF Réseau for access to passenger stations and service facilities (ARAFER decisions no. 2015-002 of 3 February 2015; no. 2015-17 of 13 May 2015, no. 2015-028 and no. 2015-030 of 15 July 2015).
Dispute resolution for a rail company against SNCF Réseau concerning the terms and conditions of allocation of service infrastructure capacity and rail fee pricing (ARAFER decision no. 2013-028 of 3 December 2013).
Dispute resolution acting for three rail companies and an authorised candidate against SNCF Réseau relating to the terms and conditions of allocation and monitoring of train paths (ARAFER decisions nos. 2013-016 to 2013-019 of 1 October 2013).
Dispute resolution acting for a rail company against SNCF Réseau regarding invoicing and supply terms and conditions for traction current (ARAFER decision no. 2012-019 of 3 October 2012).
Assisting a rail operator in a liability dispute relating to damage caused to its means of transport.

Our rankings

Legal 500 Paris

Magenta, qui intervient sur l’ensemble du spectre du droit économique, de l’antitrust au droit de la distribution, en passant par le contrôle des concentrations et les aides d’État, accompagne ses clients devant les autorités administratives et judiciaires, y compris étrangères, dans le cadre de dossiers transfrontaliers.

Le cabinet peut se prévaloir d’être très actif dans les secteurs régulés, en particulier les télécoms, les transports, l’énergie et le pharmaceutique où il assiste une clientèle de renom à la fois en concurrence, en distribution et sur les questions réglementaires. Les membres de l’équipe sont également reconnus pour leur approche pragmatique des affaires qu’ils suivent.

2026 Rankings: 

Décideurs 2026
Economic law & European affairs

Sylvain Justier, Vincent Jaunet and Gaël Hichri lead the team at specialist competition, regulatory and public law boutique Magenta, which has an excellent reputation for representing clients in highly regulated sectors including telecoms, transportation, energy and pharmaceuticals. The firm houses a broad practice, with experience across the full range of merger control filings, cartel and abuse of dominance cases, follow-on damages claims, and state aid issues. Distribution law, including disputes between distributors and suppliers, is another area of expertise.

Legal500 2025
EU, competition and distribtion

Magenta is a great independent boutique specialising in competition law and regulatory matters. The four-lawyer practice has strong knowledge of the telecoms, transport and energy sectors in which it is involved in several major regulatory disputes. The main practitioners are practice head Vincent Jaunet, Sylvain Justier and counsel Fanny Mahler.

Legal 500 2020
Administrative and public Law

Magenta dispose d’une offre aboutie en droit public des affaires, en conseil et en contentieux, devant les juridictions nationales et européennes, ainsi que les autorités de régulation. Magenta est aussi expert en matière de réglementation relative aux investissements étrangers et aux aides d’Etat.

Le cabinet assiste les acteurs du secteur public et les sociétés du secteur privé (opérateurs de l’énergie, des communications électroniques et du transport. L’équipe intervient en métropole, Polynésie française et Nouvelle-Calédonie. Magenta se distingue en droit de la concurrence et des secteurs régulés.

Décideurs 2019
Regulatory