The European Commission has concluded its investigation into a public procurement tender for Chinese trains in Bulgaria. The investigation was prompted by concerns that the Chinese company, CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive Co., had received foreign state subsidies that could have distorted the European market.
The public procurement tender involved the purchase of 20 electric "push-pull" trains and their maintenance over 15 years. The estimated value of the contract was approximately BGN 1.2 billion (EUR 610 million).
CRRC Corporation Limited, the parent company of CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive Co., is a Chinese state-owned rolling stock manufacturer. It is the world's largest rolling stock manufacturer in terms of revenue.
The Commission's investigation revealed that CRRC Qingdao Sifang Locomotive Co. had indeed received foreign state subsidies. However, the Commission determined that these subsidies did not distort the European market. As a result, the investigation was closed.