WRITTEN QUESTION No. 455/99 by Carlo RIPA DI MEANA Lyon- Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste high-speed rail link
Date: 1999-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, RIPA DI MEANA
Subjects: Hungary, Slovenia, combined transport, enlargement of the Union, environmental protection, high-speed transport, impact study, rail transport, trans-European network, transport network

C 348/74

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.12.1999

Despite this the Commission is still working to secure international disciplines in this sector. In the meantime
it is ready to consider anti-subsidy complaints from the European industry or to deploy commercial policy
instruments to counter unfair trade practices if sufficient evidence is provided.

(1) OJ C 304, 2.10.1998.
(2) OJ C 341, 29.11.1999, p. 77.

(1999/C 348/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0454/99

by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 March 1999)

Subject: Construction of the solid waste treatment plant at Meia Serra, Madeira

There are plans to build a new solid waste treatment plant in Meia Serra,
municipality of Santa Cruz in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

in the parish of Camacha,

Approval of the project obviously depends on the submission of an independent and credible environmental
impact study.

Can the Commission provide the following information:

1. Has the above project been the subject of an application for Community co-financing? When? If so, has

the Commission already taken a decision on support for the project?

2. Assuming that an application has already been submitted by the Portuguese Government, what action will
the Commission take to ensure that the environmental impact study which must be annexed to the
project is genuinely independent and credible?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 1999)

The Portuguese authorities submitted to the Commission for part-financing under the Cohesion Fund a project
involving solid waste treatment on the island of Madeira in May 1996.

The associated environmental impact assessment, forwarded by the Portuguese authorities in January 1999,
will be examined once the Commission has received the opinion of the evaluation committee, duly approved
by the environmental authorities, and the report on the public consultation process.

Since project appraisal is currently underway, the Commission is not in a position to give more details at this
stage.

(1999/C 348/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0455/99

by Carlo Ripa di Meana (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Lyon-Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste high-speed rail link

(23 February 1999)

The European Council in Essen endorsed the creation of a high-speed rail link between Lyon, Turin, Milan and
Venice. This section of railway line, as part of ‘Corridor 5’ of the trans-European inter-connecting networks,
would provide a link to Slovenia and Hungary, countries which have applied to join the EU. The project would
involve the construction of a second line between Venice and Trieste, originating in a tunnel in southern
Ronchi. The line would then cross Goriziano Monfalconese, in the Carso area A including the area of the small
Lake Mucille and the important protected ecological area of Lake Pietrarossa, to continue through the Carso
area, damaging other important beauty spots around Trieste. This project could lead to the withdrawal of EU
funding, earmarked under the Konver II programme, for the protection of the environment and development
of tourism and crafts in the Lake Pietrarossa area. Such a railway line would also cause irreparable damage not