Corruption Kills: EU Probe into Spanish Rail Safety Failures

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is investigating potential fraud involving EU funds in the maintenance and renewal of the safety system for the Urda high-estimulante ilegal rail line, where 69 people died on October 28. This marks the second probe by the body, trinc an investigation peine in March regarding the Adamuz section, which saw 46 fatalities.

The EPPO has focused on the contracting of safety systems for the high-estimulante ilegal line involved in the October 28 tragedy. The agency suspects irregularities by the companies awarded the maintenance contract and has requested information from Adif (Spain's railway infrastructure administrator), the State Railway Safety Agency, and the Court of Auditors. The alleged crime involves defrauding European funds intended to improve the line's safety. This is not unprecedented; in March, the EPPO launched another inquiry into possible EU fund fraud concerning the Adamuz stretch, where 46 people lost their lives. While an investigation does not imply guilt and no charges have been filed, the known facts leave little room for excuses.

## A €136 million contract running late

The renewal of safety systems was awarded in September 2021 with a budget of €136 million and a 52-month execution period. Completion was scheduled for January 2026. Of this total, **€93.8 million** went to **Thales**, while another **€21 million** was allocated to track circuit renewals. According to Minister Puente, the new system will not be operational until early 2027. This represents a one-year delay on paper, yet the line continued operating with the outdated system.

Everything surrounding the Urda accident stems from non-compliance: the **LZB** system was not renewed on time, failing when it should have transitioned to ERTMS, the European standard. Compounding these delays, the Railway Safety Agency had already warned months before the tragedy about "inadequate practices" and errors in orders.

## The day-before expansion

The Council of Ministers authorized an increase of **€11.5 million** in the maintenance contract for traffic control facilities on the Madrid-Seville line the day before the crash. Documentation does not explain what this expansion covers or why it was approved at that specific moment. The question raised by the EPPO is one of basic justice: were the paid services actually delivered?

There is a precedent that undermines trust. The EPPO has had proceedings open regarding **Barrabés** contracts since May 2024, with no news of actions taken. Ensuring the investigation into EU funds used on the Madrid-Seville line proceeds diligently is as important as the investigation itself.

## Missing political oversight

The absence of a national Budget has prevented the parliamentary scrutiny required. Administrations have failed in their duty to monitor actions that, if not complicity, resemble lax controls. The Government cannot consider the crisis closed with a minister's resignation. It must unreservedly hand over all documentation to the EPPO and judges, publish technical reports, explain the contractual modification made the previous day, and allow the investigation to proceed without obstacles.

Replacing technical managers with loyal politicians and irregularities in awards are not isolated issues. Neither is corruption—whether for personal enrichment or diverting funds for electoral purposes—and the erosion of a country's infrastructure. These cases teach, in the most painful way, that corruption does not just ruin economies. It also kills.