WRITTEN QUESTION E-0814/01 by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission. Support for the Alemagna road link.
Date: 2001-03-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Italy, common transport policy, road network, trans-European network, transport network

C 318 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Concerning the participation of various bodies in the national plans on TSEs, Commission Decision 98/
272/EC of 23 April 1998 on epidemio-surveillance for TSEs and amending Decision 94/474/EC (1) requires
Member States to ensure that a range of interests, including staff of the competent authority, diagnostic
laboratories, veterinary practitioners, animal keepers and handlers have relevant knowledge on TSEs.

(1) OJ L 122, 24.4.1998.

(2001/C 318 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0814/01

by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Support for the (cid:145)Alemagna(cid:146) road link

The establishment of an effective integrated Europe-wide transport network is essential to the European
Union(cid:146)s economic and cultural development.

By a decision of the Interministerial Economic Planning Committee (CIPE) of 2 November 2000 (published
in the Italian Official Gazette of 20 December 2000), Italy incorporated the Alemagna road link (Venice-
Dobbiaco and the Fortezza-San Candido section of the E66) into the TEN-T amendments.

(cid:129) Given that the historic Alemagna route is the natural link between Venice and Central Europe,

(cid:129) given that the upgrading of this route would make it possible to link up a whole network of

connections to a corridor going from the northern Adriatic and its ports to the Brenner pass,

(cid:129) given the trans-European dimension of this project,

will the Commission state what technical and financial assistance measures it is prepared to envisage for
the construction of the Alemagna road link?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2001)

The (cid:145)Alemagna(cid:146) road link incorporating the Venice-Dobbiaco and the Fortezza-San Candido section of the
E66 is not one of the trans-European transport network(cid:146)s links specified by Decision No 1692/96/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the
trans-European transport network (1). According to this Decision,
this development project cannot
therefore be considered to be a project of common interest.

The Commission is currently examining the changes which will have to be made to the Decision in order
to adapt the trans-European transport network guidelines to economic and technological developments in
the transport sector, particularly in rail transport. This review is being made taking common transport
policy priorities into account, particularly modal rebalance in favour of more environmentally friendly
modes of transport. The results will be presented during the next few weeks in a more general White Paper
on transport policy as a whole. The Commission already intends the publication of this document to be
accompanied by a proposal to modify the above Decision.

Without prejudging its final decision on the contents of the proposal, the Commission would like to draw
the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the fact that it has already proposed that the Community sign the
Alpine Convention protocol on transport, the implementation of which will limit the development of new
rural motorways for trans-Alpine traffic.

Financial support for the trans-European transport network is reserved, according to Council Regulation
(EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (2), for projects of common interest identified in
accordance with the above guidelines. The Commission is accordingly unable to provide financial support
for the construction of the (cid:145)Alemagna(cid:146) link.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) OJ L 228, 23.9.1995.

(2001/C 318 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0815/01

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) and Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: INA insurance company merger

(19 March 2001)

The board of directors of INA, the Italian insurer acquired by Assicurazioni Generali, has decided to
restructure the company and hive off its life assurance activities to a new company set up specifically for
this purpose called INA-VITA. The parts of the company not transferred to INA-VITA are then to merge
with the controlling company Assicurazioni Generali.

What steps does the Commission intend to take in order to safeguard the jobs at INA and to ensure that
its activities in Rome are not jeopardised?

What does it intend to do in order to protect the job security and professional status of workers of INA?

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2001)

The Commission, as the guardian of the Treaties, ensures that Community law is correctly applied.

Industrial restructuring,
a matter for the Member States.

including the preservation of the level of employment, remains,

in principle,

However,
in such restructuring operations, the provisions on the rights of workers, as referred to in
Council Directive 77/187/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member
States relating to the safeguarding of employees(cid:146) rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses
or parts of businesses (1), amended by Council Directive 98/50/EC of 29 June 1998 (2), and in Council
Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
collective redundancies (3), especially concerning the area of
information and consultation, must be
complied with.

In view of the above, it is primarily the responsibility of the national authorities and courts to resolve any
disputes that may arise from this matter.

(1) OJ L 61, 5.3.1977.
(2) OJ L 201, 17.7.1998.
(3) OJ L 225, 12.8.1998.

(2001/C 318 E/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0816/01

by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Support for European and Venetian businesses in Romania

There has been an increasing relocation of businesses from the European Union to Romania in recent
years. This has particularly affected the Veneto region, where thousands of companies have started