WRITTEN QUESTION P-4011/00 by Georg Jarzembowski (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Implementation in the rail transport sector of the provisions of Title VI of the EC Treaty.
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: State aid, balance sheet, rail transport, restriction on competition, transport company

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/45

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

(14 March 2001)

The Commission is aware of the pollution of the River SØgura in Spain by industrial, agricultural and
urban effluents and has begun action intended to prompt compliance with Community regulations in
order to improve the situation. The Honourable Member might wish to refer to the answers to Written
Questions E-1906/98 (1) and E-0721/00 (2) by Mrs Sornosa Martinez and to Written Questions E-3860/
00 (3) and E-3861/00 (4) by Mrs Hautala concerning this problem of pollution of the River SØgura.

More specifically as regards discharges of urban wastewater, the Commission has recently examined the
situation as regards the treatment of those effluents in all of the Community(cid:146)s major cities and will very
soon publish the results of that survey. It emerges form this that two of the major towns discharging their
effluents into the catchment basin for the SØgura river, namely Molina de SØgura and Murcia, did not have
the secondary wastewater treatment (i.e. biological) facilities required by Council Directive 92/271/EEC of
21 May 1991 on the treatment of urban wastewater on 31 December 2000.

The Commission therefore intends to bring an infringement action against Spain, more specifically because
of inadequate treatment of urban wastewater in a certain number of conurbations, including Molina de
SØgura and Murcia.

(1) OJ C 13, 20.1.1999.
(2) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 96.
(3) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 69.
(4) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 70.

(2001/C 235 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4011/00

by Georg Jarzembowski (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Implementation in the rail transport sector of the provisions of Title VI of the EC Treaty

Within the evolving rail transport sector competition is beginning to develop between various companies
with regard to not only cross-border but also national, regional and urban services. In a number of
Member States this is leading to structural changes affecting what were previously national rail transport
companies, involving hiving off for the provision of regional transport services, for example. This is giving
rise to suspicions that when operations are being transferred, the valuation of assets, in particular movable
goods, is carried out with the deliberate intention of giving subsidiaries of what were previously state-run
undertakings unjustified advantages over new competitors.

Is the Commission aware of these developments and what measures will it take to put an end to

1.
further distortions of competition or inadmissible direct or indirect state aids?

In this connection,

2.
companies in order to obviate such dangers?

is the Commission examining the annual accounts of national rail transport

(a)

If so, what have been its provisional or definitive findings?

(b)

If not, why not and what other measures will it take to prevent distortions of competition or abuse of
a dominant position within the common market or in a substantial part of it?

C 235 E/46

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2001)

The Commission is aware of the numerous changes which are taking place in the rail transport sector, as
a result of national and European legislation. In particular, the changes introduced in the structure of
existing companies and the establishment of new companies can lead to operations which could raise
questions about the application of competition rules, including State aid, in particular where the market is
increasingly opened up to competition at the European level.

Following notifications from Member States the Commission has already examined certain aids in the rail
freight sector and is, for the time being, verifying, for example, certain national financing schemes for
combined transport operations.

The Commission does not systematically examine the annual accounts of national rail transport companies
and could in any case rely on reports made by the Courts of Auditors supervising these accounts and the
use of taxpayers(cid:146) money. The recently adopted railway package (1) will probably lead to further structural
changes, which will be closely monitored by the Commission, especially in order to guarantee a fair and
non-discriminatory access to the railway network. The monitoring mechanism of the European railway
market, established by the new Directives (1), should help the Commission to obtain on a regular basis the
information and to detect anomalies. In addition, the opening of the railway market may also lead to more
complaints from the actors.

The Commission also draws attention to its proposals (2) under discussion in the Council and the
Parliament on State aids to inland transport and on public service contracts, aimed at creating more
transparency in the way the Member States intervene in the railway sector.

(1) Proposals COM(98) 480; OJ C 321, 20.10.1998.
(2) OJ C 365 E, 19.12.2000.

(2001/C 235 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4012/00

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Spanish water resources plan

Spain(cid:146)s draft national water resources plan does not appear to pay great heed to the aims laid down in the
framework Directive on water policy, namely sustainable use of water and maintenance of the ecological
and environmental quality of water systems, avoiding the deterioration caused by the construction and
operation of large dams. In addition, it will affect a great many special conservation areas for birds and
species covered by Annex II to the Habitats Directive, in particular the otter and the pardel lynx.

In the light of the short-term goals for 2004 to 2006, as charted in the Directive:

(cid:129) how will the Commission ensure that the Spanish water resources plan conforms to the above

objectives?

(cid:129) how will it ensure that the plan is consistent with the framework Directive on water policy?