"AFITF": The French Government's New Tool for Financing Transport Infrastructure

The French Transport Infrastructure Financing Agency (AFITF) was created by the French government in early 2005 to address transportation infrastructure project financing. AFITF is charged with promoting a transportation service modal shift by providing an infrastructure network with operations that create less environmental impact, as well as ensuring the long-term financing of French transportation infrastructure development through budget allocations from fiscal and parafiscal public sources. It deals with two types of financing: infrastructure, as well as transportation equipment; and new engineering structures, as well as existing facility renovation or modernization.