WRITTEN QUESTION E-2030/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Incorporation of Galicia in the trans-European high-speed rail networks

On 6 June 2001, in document E-1046/01(1), Mrs Loyola de Palacio replied to my written question of 3 April 2001 on Galicia's integration in the trans-European transport networks by means of high-speed rail services following the statements by the Spanish Minister for Internal Development and the President of the Galician Regional Government on the plans to link the La Sanabria-Orense-Santiago route section to La Meseta and the La Coruña-Vigo-Oporto section to Portugal.

Unaware of these statements and presumably basing her answer on official documents in the Commission's possession, she gave to understand that the Ponferrada to Monforte line might become the access route for high-speed trains to Galicia.

When it learned of the Commission's answer, the Galician Government responded by dismissing it, criticising the Commission, and confirming that access would be provided via the La Sanabria-Orense-Santiago line.

How much truth is there in all the above assertions? At all events, by what kind of supposedly high-speed network might Galicia be linked to La Meseta and Portugal?

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001, p. 155.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 2001)

The Commission's answer to the Honourable Member's written question E-1046/01(1) refers to the guidelines in Decision No 1692/96(2) adopted by Parliament and the Council in 1996 on the trans-European transport network. As the Commission has already pointed out in its reply to the Honourable Member's oral question H-530/01 at question time in the part-session of July 2001(3), these guidelines are currently being revised.

In the course of preparing their revision proposal, the Spanish national authorities sent the Commission a request for the national high-speed rail plan to be included. This plan comprises, in particular, the high-speed links between Madrid and Galicia via Sanabria, Orense and Santiago and the section between La Coruña, Vigo and the frontier with Portugal stemming from the agreement between the Spanish and Galician governments. The Commission, as mentioned in its White Paper on the European transport policy adopted on 12 September 2001(4), intends to propose as part of this revision modification of the list of specific projects in Annex III. The projects envisaged and mentioned in the White Paper include the interoperability of the Iberian high-speed rail network on the basis of the Spanish and Portuguese national high-speed rail plans, which include the lines in Galicia mentioned above.

The Commission wishes to point out that the definition of high-speed line in this plan corresponds to that in Council Directive 96/48/EC(5) of 23 July 1996 on the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail system. This Directive states that high-speed lines comprise specially built high-speed lines equipped for speeds generally equal to or greater than 250 km/h, specially upgraded lines equipped for speeds of the order of 200 km/h and specially upgraded lines on which the speed must be adapted on a case-by-case basis.

The Commission is keeping a close watch on the planning stages of Portugal's high-speed rail plan. This plan includes the Atlantic rail route which is part of priority project No 8 and which should contribute to the continuity and interoperability of the rail links between Spain and Portugal.

(1) OJ C 340 E, 4.12.2001, p. 155.

(2) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(3) Answer, 3.7.2001.

(4) COM(2001) 370.

(5) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996.