WRITTEN QUESTION E-3805/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 January 2003)

Subject: Alpine transit

The International Year of Mountains means that particularly frequent reference is being made to the desirability of conserving the mountain landscape. However, an ever increasing number of private cars and lorries are traversing the Alps and polluting the environment to an ever increasing extent.

Does the Commission not believe that it would make sense to shift road transport to rail by means of an intensified information campaign?

If so, will it then make a special effort to achieve rapid implementation of the Brenner base-level tunnel which is included in the list of trans-European networks and which would considerably alleviate congestion on a section of the transit route? If so, what exactly does it intend to do?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(27 February 2003)

The European Transport policy encourages in the White Paper for Transport(1) the modal shift in favour of railways especially in the Alps. Therefore, the Alpine region receives a special attention in the framework of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy. Two of the 14 Essen priority projects, Lyon-Turin and Verona-Munich (Brenner axis) were selected with the aim to transfer part of the alpine road traffic to rail. Also, the Commission has presented a proposal to increase up to 20 % of the maximum co-finance from the TEN-T budget for railways projects in areas with natural barriers like Alps and Pyreneans, for which it has obtained the support of the Parliament in first reading.

The rapid preparation and construction of the Brenner base tunnel remains one of the highest priorities of the trans-European transport network. This is reflected in the Community Guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network.

The responsibility for implementing these priorities falls on the Member States concerned. For its part, the Commission has been closely involved in the preparatory activities for the Brenner base tunnel project: the Commission co-signed several Memoranda of Understanding, confirming the priority status of the project and calling upon the parties involved to accelerate and facilitate its preparation, financing and construction. Commission representatives also

participate actively in the work of an intergovernmental committee which co-ordinates and supervises project preparation. This committee played a decisive role in the process towards the setting-up of a Brenner Base Tunnel European Economic Interest Grouping (BBT EEIG) the independent project authority in charge of the studies that aim at the development consent for the tunnel (technical, environmental, geological, economical). Amongst the areas studied by BBT are also legal/financial options for project implementation (to be proposed to the governments concerned for decision).

Besides its advisory and stimulating role throughout the past years, the Commission has co-financed the above studies at 50 % of their cost in the framework of the trans-European transport network. Provided the forthcoming study phase (detailed technical, environmental and geological studies, to be launched in 2003) will go ahead as planned, the Commission intends to grant further significant financial aid.

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.