WRITTEN QUESTION E-2632/97 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: The construction of a subway under the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome

The construction of the Castel Sant'Angelo subway by Rome City Council was the subject of my question E-1270/97 ((OJ C 373, 9.12.1997, p. 97. )), in which I asked the Commission inter alia whether Rome City Council had contravened Directive 85/337/EEC ((OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40. )) as regards the environmental impact assessment for the project in question. The project, moreover, is expected to receive funding from the European Investment Bank as part of the Framework Agreement for the Rome 2000 project.

There have been recent press reports stating that the building of the subway has been seriously jeopardized owing to a series of archaeological discoveries made during the reconnaissance work on the site on which the subway was to be built. In particular, the discovery of St John's Bastion will mean that the actual width of the subway will be reduced to around 5 metres, as opposed to the 8 metres originally planned (which many had already deemed to be insufficient), unless the bastion itself is demolished. However, the bastion is a listed archaeological asset.

1. What are the results of the Commission's talks with the Italian authorities regarding compliance with Directive 85/337/EEC on the environmental impact assessment?

2. What are the Commission's views on whether the project can be completed within the scheduled time-frame?

3. Does the Commission believe that any delays in the building of the subway could jeopardize the granting of EIB funding, thereby leading to the loss of a major source of financing for the project?

4. Does the Commission consider that any demolition of archaeological assets to enable the subway to be built in accordance with the original plans could jeopardize the granting of funds by the EIB and does it consider that such demolition might constitute an infringement of Community legislation?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (30 September 1997)

1. The Commission has approached the Italian authorities regarding the case in hand. It is still waiting for a reply.

2. The Commission is not qualified to express an opinion on the completion of the project within the given time-frame.

3. On the question of whether any delay in completion of the work is liable to compromise the European Investment Bank (EIB) funding, only the latter can respond.

4. As for the possible destruction of archaeological remains to enable the project to go ahead, it should be noted that this type of project falls within Annex II to Directive 85/337/EEC and is not automatically subject to the environmental impact assessment procedure. However, for each category of project in Annex II, the authorities have to determine whether or not the abovementioned procedure is necessary, on the basis, inter alia, of the nature, location and scale of the project. If the authorities decide that impact assessment is not necessary in this particular case, the Commission could challenge their decision only on the basis of particularly important and specific information liable to prove the project would have a significant impact by virtue of its size or location.

As for the EIB, it grants funds only if Community law is observed in the particular case.