WRITTEN QUESTION E-0178/00 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) and Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Discontinuing of train services between the Netherlands and Germany after upgrading of the Nieuweschans ‐ Weneer section of the TEN.
Date: 2000-01-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Germany, Netherlands, carriage of passengers, cross-border cooperation, rail network, rail transport, trans-European network, transport infrastructure

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21.11.2000

impact on Mexico(cid:146)s budget. This will be a market-based operation not requiring in principle international
support. In any case, Mexico can continue to draw until the end of the year on its stand-by arrangement
with the IMF.

The best way to help Mexico in the current circumstances is not by providing further financial support but
by facilitating its integration into the world economy. The provisions of the economic partnership,
political coordination, and cooperation agreement with Mexico, and in particular those on trade and
financial services, should provide a suitable framework in this respect. They should contribute to foster
trade and investment flows between the Community and Mexico.

(2000/C 330 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0178/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) and Helmuth Markov (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 January 2000)

Subject: Discontinuing of train services between the Netherlands and Germany after upgrading of the

Nieuweschans (cid:129) Weneer section of the TEN

1.
Is the Commission aware that passenger rail services between Groningen in the Netherlands and
Bremen in Germany have so far been restricted to three trains a day in each direction and that there has
even been talk of cancelling the service, which would mean that there would no longer be any public
transport between the northern regions of the two countries.

2.
Is the Commission also aware that for years the main argument put forward in support of this
restricted service was that the section of the line between the border localities of Nieuweschans (Nether-
lands) and Weener (Germany, Lower Saxony) was dilapidated and single-track, as a result of which the
speed had to be restricted to 30 km an hour in some places, and that the necessary repairs were not
regarded as viable?

3.
Can the Commission confirm that as from 1 April 2000 rail traffic on the border section of the track
will be suspended for six months (and replaced by a bus service) so that this neglected line can at last be
upgraded at a cost of at least EUR 16,5 million and the train speed increased to 120 km per hour, except
on the swing bridge over the Ems between Papenburg and Leer, which is needed because of shipbuilding,
and that the cost of the German section of the work is being funded partly with monies allocated to the
trans-European networks?

4.
Does the Commission realise that the Netherlandse Spoorwegen (NS) have cancelled the Deutsche
Bahn VT624 train used hitherto so that the new regional rail company NordNed can take over the service
but that NooordNed has not has not yet come to any agreement on a subsidy with the Netherlands
Province of Groningen and the German Land of Lower Saxony and that no application for a timetable for
the winter period 2000-2001 has been submitted to the rail authorities?

5. What steps does the Commission intend to take to prevent a situation in which, as a result of the
withdrawal of the two national railway companies involved and insufficient regional subsidies, passenger
services on this railway line do not resume on completion of the repair work in October 2000, which
would mean that upgrading the TEN link had been pointless?

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2000)

The Commission is aware that the state of the rail infrastructure along the 17 kilometer (km) long cross-
border section Nieuweschans (cid:129) Weener (cid:129) Ihrhove, which forms part of the line Groningen (Netherlands)
(cid:129) Leer (Germany), is currently insufficient, and that this situation has a negative impact on the quality of
railway services (speed limitation in particular).

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/99

The Commission can confirm that it is planned to upgrade the Nieuweschans (cid:129) Weener (cid:129) Ihrhove
railway line this year, and that the total cost of this upgrading work has been estimated at € 16,5 million.
The authorities informed the Commission that works on the Dutch side have already begun, and that on
the German side they are foreseen to be undertaken between April 2000 and October 2000. Community
financial aid, both in the framework of the trans-European transport network and the Interreg programme,
has been granted to support the upgrading works on both sides of the border.

The Dutch and German authorities informed the Commission that the Dutch company Noordnet and the
German DB Regio will provide rail services, once the infrastructure upgrading works are completed.
Negotiations on this matter between the Province of Groningen and NoordNet on the one hand, and
Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen and DB Regio on the other, are at an advanced stage.
Negotiations are furthermore in course between NoordNet and DB Regio regarding their co-operation on
the provision of cross-border services.

(2000/C 330 E/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0179/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Exploratory drilling in the Biesbosch

(27 January 2000)

The Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs, A. Jorritsma, has given approval to NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie
Maatschappij) to carry out exploratory drilling in the Biesbosch, where the company is expecting to find
gas.

The Biesbosch is a national park covered by the European directive on birds. Moreover, the Dutch
Government is proposing that it should be made a Special Protection Area under Community law. The
Dutch Parliament will be taking a decision on this in the middle of February.

Does the Commission agree that a nature reserve covered by the European directive on birds should

1.
be spared industrial activity of this kind?

Does the Commission agree that, in this case, ecological concerns should prevail over (short-term)

2.
economic interests?

Does the Commission intend to get the Dutch Government and Minister Jorritsma not to go ahead

3.
with this exploratory drilling?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2000)

The Commission is not aware of the issue that is raised by the Honourable Member.

(cid:145)De Biesbosch(cid:146) is one of the most important sites designated under national legislation (Natuurbescher-
mingswet).

(cid:145)De Biesbosch(cid:146) also merits designation as a special protection area (SPA) as specified in Council Directive
79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1). The Dutch authorities intend to
designate the site but have not yet done so.

According to caselaw of the Court of justice a site that has to be designated as a SPA must be protected in
conformity with Articles 6(3), 6(4) and 7 of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna (2).