WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3571/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI , Gastone PARIGI , Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. High- speed trains (HST) and environmental impact
Date: 1997-11-13
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament, MUSCARDINI, PARIGI
Subjects: Italy, ecological balance, environmental impact, health policy, high-speed transport, town and country planning

C 174/78

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

(98/C 174/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3571/97

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI), Gastone Parigi (NI)
and Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: High-speed trains (HST) and environmental impact

The  reaction  of  local  administrations,  residents  associations,  environmental  associations  and  environmental
protection consortia to the planned Italian HST network on the Frejus-Turin-Milan-Venice, Milan-Genoa and
Milan-Bologna-Florence-Rome-Naples stretches is that environmental damage would be caused if the project
were  implemented  as  it  now  stands  and  would  have  a  negative  impact  on  health,  the  countryside  and  the
equilibrium of the eco-system. A petition bearing 35 000 signatures has been sent to the EP.

1.

2.

Is the Commission aware of the Italian plan?

Does the project take account of the environmental impact assessment?

Does the assessment come within the parameters laid down in Community directives on protection of the

3.
environment and public health?

4.
Following an initial pioneering experiment, can the Commission state whether preference should be given
in the future to the variable trim technology (Pendolino) rather than to the technologies used for HST in other
European countries?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 1998)

As  far  as  the  Commission  knows,  the  project  to  which  the  Honourable  Members  make  reference,  has  been
submitted to environmental impact assessment (EIA).

Consequently,  the  Commission  invites  the  Honourable  Members  to  provide  more  precise  and  detailed
information  about  the  reported  lack  of  care  in  respect  of  any  environmental  issues  concerning  the  above
mentioned project. Only on the basis of specific complaints, and with reference to the aspects falling within the
scope of Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment (1),  is  the  Commission  entitled  to  undertake  the  appropriate  interventions  such  as  requesting
information from the Member State or starting an infringement procedure.

The tilting train (Pendolino) technique enables a reduction of travel times and could contribute to a more efficient
use of (existing) infrastructure. However, one should take into account that speed differences between trains on
one  line  can  cause  significant  capacity  problems.  Therefore,  the  tilting  train  cannot  form  a  substitute  for  the
modernisation and construction of infrastructure for high speed trains.

(1)  OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(98/C 174/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3574/97

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission

(4 November 1997)

Subject: Taxation of pension and retirement funds

Does the Commission consider it to be compatible with Community law for the tax legislation of a Member State
to provide for discriminatory tax treatment of contributions to pension and retirement funds and gains accruing
therefrom according to where the fund is based or where the contract was signed, even though the countries
concerned are other Member States? In this light, does the Spanish law on private insurance of 1995 comply with
Community law?