Scientific paper ID 1501 : 2017/3

Over the last 20 years, the European Commission is making a lot of effort to restructure the European rail market and to strengthen its position on other modes of transport. They are concentrated in three main areas, which are crucial for the development of the competitiveness of the rail transport industry:

1) opening the rail transport market to competition,

2) improving the technical compatibility and security of national rail networks,

3) development of the railway infrastructure.

The aim of these measures is to overcome the decline in the development of the railway sector over the last few decades.

In Bulgaria, the Operational Program ”Transport”, based on a coordinated sequence of priorities, defines the strategic development of the transport sector for the period 2007 - 2013 in order to achieve the EU Convergence objective.

Operational Program ”Transport and Transport Infrastructure” (OPTTI) 2014-2020 is a continuation of OP ”Transport”. The overall objective of both operational programs is ”Developing a sustainable transport system”

In the railway sector, the (OPTTI) 2014-2020 strategy aims at developing an efficient EU rail system and creating a competitive and attractive rail market in relation to other modes of transport in Bulgari