WRITTEN QUESTION E-2841/98

by Carlos Carnero González (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: Undertaking of July 1998 given by the Spanish Ministry for Development to the autonomous communities on the Madrid-Valladolid high-speed train route involving building a tunnel

According to reports in the El Mundo daily newspaper, on Monday, 27 July the Spanish Ministry for Development informed the Presidents of the Autonomous Communities of Castilla y León and Galicia that its preferred option for the Madrid-Valladolid high-speed train project involved building a tunnel more than 30 kilometres in length under the Sierra de Guadarrama. The ministry announced that it would thus be issuing a public call for tenders in October to enable the undertakings interested to submit their plans, undertake an economic and technical viability study and present clear conclusions. The President of the Community of Madrid expressed satisfaction with the central government's decision.

These revelations have once again caused great alarm amongst the general public, and particularly amongst various environmental groups, insofar as, like the options floated in the past, this route would affect natural areas of particular interest within the Community of Madrid. These same groups believe that thorough research into the environmental impact of building the tunnel along the proposed route should precede any economic and technical viability studies.

Having regard to Written Question E-0604/98(1), the subsequent answers provided to it, and file No 98/2143 opened by the Commission, will the Commission say:

1. whether it is aware of the latest information as set out above? If not, does it take the view that the Spanish Government should have sent it that information in good time and in due form?

2. whether in any event, given the well-known characteristics of the outstanding natural wealth of the area concerned, it believes that an environmental impact assessment conducted in accordance with the relevant Community directives should take precedence and priority over a public request for economic viability tenders?

3. whether it takes the view that the conclusions of the assessment, rather than economic and technical considerations alone, ought to determine the Spanish Government's ultimate decision on the Madrid-Valladolid high-speed train route involving building a tunnel more than 30 kilometres in length beneath the Sierra de Guadarrama?

4. whether it believes that both the Ministry for Development and the Government of the Community of Madrid should move swiftly to begin a public consultation with those groups affected and concerned by this problem?

5. what action it will take to look into the aforementioned facts and where appropriate guarantee full compliance with Community environmental legislation, in the light of the announcement that the said public call for tenders is to be issued?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 1998)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that this project forms part of the Atlantic arm within the Trans-European transport network (TEN), of Essen priority project No 3, i. e. the southern high-speed train (Madrid-Vitoria-Bilbao-Dax).

The Commission is unaware of the new facts mentioned by the Honourable Member. Since it does not have in its possession any precise information on those facts the Commission is currently unable to answer the questions put by the Honourable Member.

In order to obtain all of the details on the facts mentioned in this written question the Commission has requested information from the Spanish authorities. In any case the Spanish authorities are required to implement Community law in respect of environmental impact.

(1) OJ C 386, 11.12.1998, p. 28.