WRITTEN QUESTION P-2896/00 by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Integration of Poland and the Czech Republic in the trans-European networks.
Date: 2000-09-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Czechia, EU programme, European Commission, Poland, accession to the European Union, common transport policy, rail transport, report, road transport, trans-European network

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/207

Furthermore experience and notably the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis had shown that the
implementation of Directive 92/102/EEC had not been entirely satisfactory and needed further improve-
ment.
It was necessary to adopt a specific regulation for bovine animals in order to reinforce the
provisions of the Directive.

Hence Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 of 21 April 1997 establishing a system for the identification
and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (2) was adopted.
According to this Regulation bovine animals shall be identified by an eartag applied to each ear and
accompanied by a passport throughout any movement. These requirements are upheld in Regulation (EC)
the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the
1760/2000 of
identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products
and repealing Council Regulation No 820/97 (3).

the Parliament and of

(1) OJ L 355, 5.12.1992.
(2) OJ L 117, 7.5.1997.
(3) OJ L 204, 11.8.2000.

(2001/C 113 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2896/00

by Paul R(cid:252)big (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 September 2000)

Subject: Integration of Poland and the Czech Republic in the trans-European networks

The forthcoming EU accession of Poland and the Czech Republic increases the importance of further
developing the trans-European transport networks. The prospect of an uninterrupted north-south transport
link stretching from Stettin to Koper via Berlin, Prague and Linz is of the greatest importance to many
economic regions. This link will, not least, give the applicant countries Poland and the Czech Republic
access to the Danube and the Mediterranean ports.

The route from Budweis to Linz, extending the Phyrn route, will be of particular strategic value. The most
recent studies show that
this route has particular advantages over the other possibilities. Regional
integration and quality of business locations will be lastingly furthered in the border region.

The Linz-Budweis/Prague rail link already forms part of the trans-European network as well as the TINA
network in the Central and Eastern European countries. But development of the road link is only being
taken into account by the applicant countries.

How were the budget and time frame for implementation of track development for the Budweis-Linz
section arrived at?

What reasons,
programme? How soon can an affirmative decision be expected?

in the Commission(cid:146)s view,

justify omitting the Budweis-Linz road link from the TEN

What accompanying measures at national and regional level need to be taken, in the Commission(cid:146)s view,
to support and accelerate the implementation of the TENs?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2000)

The contribution towards setting up the European transport network forms part of the major Community
policies provided for by EC Treaty Articles 154-156 (former Articles 129b-129d). Moreover, Decision
No 169/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines
for the development of the trans-European transport network (1) defines that policy.

C 113 E/208

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

In line with that decision the Commission is currently finalising a report on the revision of the guidelines
which should be laid before Parliament and the Council in November 2000. That report will analyse
changes in traffic flows and demand since 1996, and in the technologies that can be applied to that sector.
The report will therefore suggest adjustments to the 1996 Decision which could provide for an updating
of the networks(cid:146) mapping.

Against this background and that of the Union(cid:146)s next enlargement, the Commission has for several years
been closely cooperating with the Member States and Governments of
the applicant countries in
identifying the components of those candidates(cid:146) transport networks that should be incorporated into the
trans-European transport network on their accession. That venture, which is known as TINA, or in other
words (cid:145)Transport Infrastructure Needs Assessment(cid:146) produced a (cid:145)final report(cid:146) on completion of an initial
batch of analyses in October 1999. That report is likely to be updated, or even intensified over the next
few years.

The north-south corridor linking Stettin, Berlin, Prague, Linz and Koper, and more particularly its section
between Budweis and Linz, forms part of a particularly large set of economic problems touching upon the
accessibility of the Adriatic sea ports to the countries of central and northern Europe.

Since this involves the building up of an intermodal, multi-mode transport network it should here be
stressed that there should be sufficiently dense interlinking within the network which, in particular, should
act as a spur in expanding the responses to that basic set of problems. Thus, the various corridors seem to
be, at one and the same time, not only complementary but also in competition with each other. More
particularly pan-European trans-European corridors Nos IV and V approved at ministerial level in Crete in
1994 and in Helsinki in 1997 also constitute responses, as do the north-south links already planned in the
guidelines, such as the (cid:145)Brenner(cid:146) route between Verona and Munich.

Moreover, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, the responsibility for building and managing transport
infrastructures, even those of Community relevance,
lies with the national or local authorities. When
boosting the funding of projects these might possibly call upon the Community for support, which can be
given via various instruments. More particularly the budget dedicated to trans-European networks might be
mobilised, or the structural funds for the Member States, or yet again the PHARE or ISPA programmes for
the central European applicant countries.

Thus, if the Austrian and Czech authorities wish to receive financial support from the Community in order
to modernise the rail of road link between Linz and Budweis, it is up to them to ask for help under those
Community programmes.

The Commission(cid:146)s forthcoming report on guideline revision should spark various debates within Parlia-
ment and the Council on the inclusion of that highway route in the trans-European network. On that
occasion the national authorities will have the opportunity to state their views. Under Decision No 92/96/
EC that inclusion could, in the main, be examined in terms of the common interest presented by that
section of road in order to ensure the cohesion, interlinking and interoperability of the trans-European
network, and also of the access to that network.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(2001/C 113 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2897/00

by Paul R(cid:252)big (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 September 2000)

Subject: Hardwood dust and the directive on carcinogens

Under Council Directive 1999/38/EC (1) of 29 April 1999 amending for the second time Directive 90/394/
EEC (2) on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work and
extending it to mutagens, all types of hardwood dust have been classified as carcinogens (definite risk of
causing cancer).