The corona-related financing requirements at Deutsche Bahn are expected to be lower for the entire year 2020. This is the view of the Federal Audit Office. Accordingly, the financial aid for Deutsche Bahn should be less than the proposed five billion euros.
The federal government wants to inject five billion euros into the railway because of the corona crisis this year – so much money may not even be necessary. At least that's what the Federal Audit Office is assuming. In a report to the Budget Committee, the control authority advises against paying out the money in full. "There is a risk that the DB AG will be made available funds that are not yet needed," says the letter.
"Despite the significant decline in sales and earnings of the DB AG Group in the first half of 2020, the corona-related financing requirements for the entire year 2020 will probably be lower than assumed in May 2020," notes the Bonn authority. In May, the billions in aid for the railway were decided.
The group has not made it clear when it actually needs which money, nor does the railway, from the point of view of the Court of Auditors, see relevant savings in operating costs. In addition, not all credit options are exhausted. The group's calculations also contained "the consequences of non-Corona-related misconduct in ambitious planning".
If the additional equity for 2020 is paid out as planned, that would be overcompensation for the corona-related damage, warns the Court of Auditors. The railway is doing better financially than according to the original business plan – because it has to take out fewer loans than planned. The competition on the railways could suffer as a result. The report does not mention the latest collective bargaining agreement between the railways and the railway and transport union. Both sides had agreed on comparatively low wage increases.
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