WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2351/97 by Roberta ANGELILLI to the Commission. Latest information concerning the construction of the high- speed rail link between Rome and Naples
Date: 1997-07-10
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: EU control, European Commission, Italy, application of EU law, environmental impact, exchange of information, high-speed transport, impact study, rail network

C 82/62

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 3. 98

(98/C 82/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2351/97

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Latest information concerning the construction of the high-speed rail link between Rome and Naples

In  its  additional  answer  of  5  June  1997  to  Written  Question  E-0508/97 (1)  concerning  construction  of  the
Rome-Naples high-speed rail link the Commission said it had contacted the Italian authorities and that it intended
to  draw  up  measures  aimed  at  ensuring  compliance  with  Community  legislation  on  environmental  impact
assessment.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1.  which Italian authorities it contacted;

2.  what precisely are the measures it is devising to ensure respect for Community legislation as regards the

projects listed in Annex I to Directive 85/337/EEC (2);

3. 

in  what  ways  the  initiatives  the  Commission  is  drawing  up  actually  differ  from  those  concerning  other
instances  of  failure  to  comply  with  Directive  85/337/EEC  pointed  out  by  the  author  of  this  question  in
connection with the execution of a number of projects covered by Annex II of the Directive;

4.  whether the steps taken by the Commission may lead to the work being suspended or the projects being

revised?

(1)  OJ C 391, 23.12.1997, p. 15.
(2)  OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 1997)

The Commission still contacts the Office of the Permanent Representative of Italy to the European Communities
who  then  sends  the  Commission’s  letter  to  the  relevant  Italian  Ministries  ›  in  this  case  the  Ministry  for  the
Environment.

The  action  planned  if  there  is  an  infringement  of  Community  law  consists  of  introducing  an  infringement
procedure based on Article 169 of the EC Treaty. The act of bringing a presumed infringement of Community
law to the attention of the Commission does not necessarily lead to the introduction of an infringement procedure
based on Article 169 of the EC Treaty since the facts and arguments put forward must be checked and legally
assessed, normally after the receipt of comments by the national authorities.

It cannot be ruled out that, under particular circumstances, and as part of a procedure based on Article 169 of the
EC Treaty, the Commission may ask the Court of Justice to establish what temporary measures are needed under
Article 186 of the EC Treaty.

(98/C 82/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2352/97

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Call for tenders for an advisor on the privatization of the ACEA by Rome City Council

In its answer to Written Question P-1071/97 (1) on the tendering procedure initiated by Rome City Council in
order  to  find  an  advisor  on  the  privatization  of  the  Municipal  Energy  and  Environment  Board  (ACEA),  the
Commission said that since the amount awarded was LIT 327 726 000 net of VAT, Directive 92/50/EEC (2),
which sets a minimum threshold for applicabilty of ECU 200 000 excluding VAT, could not be considered as
applicable. However, the Commission also stated that the threshold of ECU 200 000 does not refer to the amount