EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/67

(2004/C 84 E/0073)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3563/03

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(25 November 2003)

Subject: Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention

On Friday, 14 November 2003, the Italian Senate approved the Alpine Convention and, following a proposal by the Italian Government, removed the Convention's Transport Protocol from the list of protocols approved.

The report by the High Level Group on Trans-European Transport Networks on the Brenner base tunnel and the Turin-Lyon base tunnel states that ‘the economics of the tunnel and its access lines depend on an integrated transport policy favourable to intermodality in the spirit of the Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention. It will be necessary to limit the development of new road capacities on the competing routes, and to adapt the infrastructure charging policy, so that road tolls from the competing routes can contribute to the financing of the tunnel in the framework of public-private partnership’.

The Senate's decision, which allows the building of large trans-Alpine motorways, means in practice that investments and railway tunnel links will be underused and, therefore, uneconomical.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Does the Italian Senate's decision (and, therefore, the Italian Government's desire) to commit itself to long-distance trans-Alpine motorways, in stark contrast to the findings of the Van Miert Report, not put at risk investment in rail links made by the Italian Government?

2. Does the Commission, on the basis of the decision of the Italian Senate, intend to review its own decisions regarding European funding for Italian rail links?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2004)

The Commission's proposal on Trans-European network guidelines, which follows broadly the recommendations of a High Level Group on the trans-European transport network, aims at ensuring the completion of the Single market, the success of enlargement and modal transfer towards modes with less congestion and environmental problems. Cross-border sections and crossing of natural barriers were identified as two key areas. Therefore, the proposal puts an important focus on railway investments crossing the Alps.

A new proposal to amend the so-called Eurovignette directive proposes a harmonised method for charging full infrastructure costs to heavy goods vehicles. According to this proposal, a mark-up can be levied in environmentally sensitive zones such as the Alps to cross-finance investments in alternative modes.

In the case of the Alps, where transport capacity is scarce, improved railway services, based on the respective infrastructure improvements, will reduce demand on road according to recent studies. On the other hand, charging for road use will also induce higher demand for railways.

The Commission proposal of 1 October 2003 identifies the European priority projects, including the Brenner base tunnel and the Turin-Lyon base tunnel. This Commission proposal is currently discussed in the Council and the Parliament.

The Commission cannot intervene in a decision taken at a national level like the decision to ratify the Transport Protocol of the Alpine Convention. However, when assessing Member States' proposals for project funding, an assessment will be made as to the financial feasibility as well as to the strategic environmental impacts. Consideration will therefore be given to parallel projects developed on a national basis and influencing the profitability of the rail tunnels.