Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier advises SNCF Réseau on the CDG Express environmental authorisation dispute

Paris, 9 May 2022

After having successfully obtained in March 2021 a stay of execution of the Montreuil Administrative Court’s ruling partially cancelling the environmental authorisation for the Charles de Gaulle Express project, the French State, Gestionnaire d’Infrastructure CDG Express, SNCF Réseau and Aéroports de Paris obtained the overturning of this ruling and the dismissal of the Mitry-Mory municipality’s appeal.

The decision issued by the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal on April 28, 2022 confirmed the major public interest of the project and the validity of the environmental authorisation held by Gestionnaire d’Infrastructure CDG Express. This decision makes it possible to continue the project with a view to its entry into service in early 2027.

Connecting the Gare de l’Est in central Paris to Terminal 2 at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, the CDG Express infrastructure will provide a 32-kilometre non-stop service with trains running every 15 minutes in each direction from 5am to midnight, 365 days a year. The CDG Express will bring the airport closer to the centre of Paris, offering access to the standards of major European and international capitals. The project also contributes to the regeneration and modernisation of the infrastructure for daily transport, with a budget of €537 million dedicated to these operations.

SNCF Réseau was advised by Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier, with Henri Savoie and Jean-Baptiste Aubert, and by Frêche & Associés, with Thomas Garancher and Nathalie Carré.

Gestionnaire d’Infrastructure CDG Express was advised by Weil Gotshal & Manges, with Frédéric Salat-Baroux, Marc Lordonnois and Baptiste Jalinière and by Boivin & Associés, with Steve Hercé.

Aéroports de Paris was advised by LPA-CGR avocats, with Fabrice Cassin and Yaël Cambus.