WRITTEN QUESTION E-2677/00 by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European Movement.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European organisation, administrative expenditure, budget, economic support, public awareness campaign

C 113 E/148

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2665/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Truck stopping distances

Does the Commission agree that, since persuasion has not proven to be an effective means of encouraging
truck drivers to increase their following distances, some alternative means of bringing this about must now
be identified and implemented?

Will the Commission agree to EU support for developmental research to validate the existing experimental
distance-sensing systems, so that trucks can be fitted with these systems that will:

(cid:129) warn drivers when they are travelling too close to the vehicle ahead (given their speed);

(cid:129) effectively reduce the vehicle(cid:146)s speed by decelerating and/or applying the brakes if the driver does not
take appropriate action such as increasing the following distance within a reasonable period of time?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2000)

The safe braking distance for motor vehicles depends on static parameters, such as pay load and the
vehicle(cid:146)s braking system, and dynamic parameters such as speed and roll, and external factors such as road-
surface grip, and weather and visibility conditions. In addition driver skill and physical condition likewise
play a part.

Devices that automatically keep a distance from the vehicle ahead are one of
the many possible
applications of intelligent transport system technologies, the development and validation of which, and
the search for optimum conditions for their deployment, are being covered by several projects receiving
support under Community research programmes. Since the various applications will operate in accordance
with algorithms using common parameters and their interaction, the Commission feels that an integrated
overall approach is more likely to ease their dissemination in a consistent reliable and economically
acceptable manner.

As part of its (cid:145)eEurope(cid:146) action plan adopted on 24 May 2000 (1), the Commission announced its intention
to suggest forms of action intended to deploy those intelligent transport systems on the roads by the end
of 2001. That action should also relate to any headway systems that maintain a safe braking distance for
heavy lorries, the practical terms and conditions for which remain to be determined.

(1) Com (2000) 330 final.

(2001/C 113 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2677/00

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: European Movement

Could the Commission please inform the House which budget heading funds the European Movement,
how much money this involves and how the organisation utilises these funds?

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/149

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The budgetary authority requested the Commission to pay grants to the European Movement by name in
the remarks to budget lines A-3021 and B3-301.

Under budget line A-3021 it has earmarked a grant of € 300 000 for the operational costs of the European
Movement(cid:146)s international secretariat in Brussels.

With regard to its operational activities, the European Movement receives funding under budget article
B3-301 (cid:145)Information outlets(cid:146) in accordance with this budget heading(cid:146)s remarks. The total of this funding,
which is intended to finance information activities targeting the public and information multipliers, is
approximately € 600 000 for 2000.

(2001/C 113 E/155)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2683/00

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: High-speed trains in the Roman orbital link area

At a time when work is about the begin on the construction sites in the area enclosed within Romp(cid:146)s main
orbital link (G.R.A.) with a view to building the Rome to Naples high-speed line and laying a second track
on the FM2 line, there are still many unresolved problems which have to do with the question whether
entire districts of Rome will be bearable places to live in the future. In particular, the matter of the damage
to be inflicted on the hundreds of people who will have to live cheek by jowl with the railway, on which
about two hundred trains a day are expected to run at top speeds of 200 k.p.h., has to date been dealt
with in a way giving rise to difficulties and discrimination.

The only official document enabling the damage resulting from the high-speed line to be quantified in
advance is the (cid:145)memorandum of understanding between TAV and Latium Region(cid:146), which lays down
compensation in respect of buildings situated not more than 30 m from the outer track of the high-speed
line. However, this memorandum applies only to the area lying outside the G.R.A. The area enclosed
within the G.R.A., which ought to be covered by an agreement between TAV and the City of Rome, has
been dealt with under a unilateral document called the (cid:145)Guidelines(cid:146) (drawn up by TAV), which provides for
compensation for those whose homes (cid:145)border(cid:146) on the high-speed line and the corresponding construction
sites.

The use of different methods has led to various instances of unequal treatment and discrimination, which
have halved the number and size of the compensation payments.

Furthermore, there is no mention of environmental impact assessments or works to offset the damage.

Can the Commission say whether there are any directives imposing an obligation to harmonise

1.
memorandums of understanding of this kind?

Does it believe that consultations between citizens and the powers-that-be, or in this case citizens,

2.
TAV, and the city authorities, should in any event be held before the work commences?

3. What is the Commission(cid:146)s general view on the matter?

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

(18 October 2000)

The Honourable Member is referring to the major infrastructure projects in the main orbital link are and
more particularly the building of the high-speed Rome-Naples line and the doubling of railway line FM2
between Rome and Lunghezza. As far as the latter project is concerned the Honourable Member refers to
two types of document providing for compensation of people living close by which are known,
respectively, as an (cid:145)agreement protocol(cid:146) and as (cid:145)guidelines(cid:146).