WRITTEN QUESTION E-1179/01 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) and Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Large-scale projects in Greece and operation of the new Athens airport.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, airport, road transport, transport infrastructure, transport policy, transport price

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/23

Regulation (EC) 40/94 of 20 December 1993 on the Community trade mark (1) and Council Directive 89/
109/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (2)).

(1) OJ L 11, 14.1.1994.
(2) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.

(2002/C 40 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1179/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) and
Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Large-scale projects in Greece and operation of the new Athens airport

There are constant reports in the Greek press across the entire political spectrum that large-scale projects
in Greece are completed far behind schedule and overstep their budget by a large margin. An example of
this is the Athens Metro (underground rail system), which (cid:129) again according to the Greek press (cid:129) has cost
no less than GRD 36 billion per kilometre. Similar information is also coming to light about the new
Athens airport. Apart from the complaints about the difficulties of access to the airport and the other
inauguration (cid:129) the opposition
operational problems already identified (cid:129) one week before its official
(whose founder, Mr Karamanlis, envisaged and launched the entire project 22 years ago) have complained
that, while eight years ago a sum of GRD 200 billion was budgeted, the final cost of the project was
approximately GRD 1 trillion.

In addition, it has also been revealed that airfares are expected to rise by 15-20 % with the new airport,
which the same reports claim will directly affect the travelling public, while there are also question marks
over the cost of travelling to and from the airport by taxi or car as tolls have already been announced.
Furthermore, neither the (ever imminent) suburban rail link nor the Athens Metro will enable passengers
to reach the airport from day one, while road access is judged to be inadequate because the new motorway
((cid:146)Attiki Odos(cid:146)) is not yet fully open to traffic and large sections are still under construction. Transport
experts also point out that no pipeline has been built to supply aircraft with fuel and, since there is no link
with the main Greek Railways freight terminal, fuel supplies will have to be brought in by a constant
stream of tankers on the already congested roads in Attica, causing severe difficulties for road haulage.

What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on the shortcomings of the new Athens airport? Has it informed the
Greek Government of how, in its opinion, the new airport can be made fully operational as soon as
possible and serve passengers in the best possible way without subjecting them to severe inconvenience
and extra expense?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2001)

The Commission knows from its experience with the management of Community funds supporting big
transport infrastructure projects that total project costs occasionally exceed initial estimates. The reasons
for this are manifold and they depend on the individual circumstances. The Commission is not in the
possession of information allowing for comparisons between different Member states in this regard.

In relation to the airport (cid:145)Eleftherios Venizelos(cid:146) the information available to the Commission is that the
fixed construction costs are € 2 155 billion of which 12 % have been financed from Community funds and
46 % from European Investment Bank loans. No major problems have been encountered in relation to the
financial management of this European support.

C 40 E/24

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

The Commission has already expressed concern about the access to the (cid:145)Eleftherios Venizelos(cid:146) International
Airport and asked the Greek Government to inform it about the measures that are taken in order to
improve the accessibility of airport.

Minister Laliotis and Minister Verelis have provided the Commission with a thorough presentation of the
works and measures that the Greek authorities are envisaging. The Greek Government has also presented
future plans (e.g. completion of ATTIKI ODOS by end 2002, rail connection by the year 2004). The
Commission will continue to insist upon the Greek Government to increase its efforts to provide efficient
and environmentally sustainable access to the airport.

The Commission is unable to confirm suggestions that airfares are expected to rise significantly as by-
product of opening the new airport. In case, however, that there are clear indications suggesting that
airport charges are not cost-related or set in a discriminatory way the Commission would use its powers to
rectify the situation. Up to now, substantiated complaints in this regard have not been put forward.

(2002/C 40 E/022)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1185/01

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Assessment of Community projects

There is currently a degree of concern regarding the procedures for assessing Community development
programmes,
in particular programmes aimed at countries which have emerged from a recent armed
conflict or countries which are in the process of emerging and which still have numbers of displaced
persons and refugees.

A point to be considered is that peace agreements such as the Arusha agreements do not include non-
structural measures, in particular ones relating to education.

A further consideration is that non-structural measures aimed at reconciliation processes are regarded by
conflict-settlement specialists as essential to the successful achievement of a lasting peace, in that they help
to overcome the ethnic prejudices and the hatred and rancour which lead to and fuel any armed conflict.

In view of the above, could the Commission state how,
in its project and programme assessment
procedures, it takes into account and evaluates the impact of Community initiatives in the field of non-
structural measures relating to peace consolidation, in particular issues relating to peace education within
the camps set up for displaced persons and refugees?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 2001)

As underlined in the Commission(cid:146)s communication of 11 April 2001 on conflict prevention (1), the EU
seeks to project stability both among its immediate neighbours and throughout the world, by supporting
regional
integration and by building trade links. Direct support to regional structures in Africa and
autonomous trade concessions to the Western Balkans are examples of instruments with a long-term
stabilisation perspective.

its disposal,

For the Commission, the key to dealing with conflict is reacting quickly and promoting active prevention
via effective implementation of targeted measures.
instruments for non-military crisis
including technical and financial aid to regional and international
management at
organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), official national, regional and local authorities
and agencies, community-based organisations and private-sector institutes and operators. These actors in
crisis management also receive support from other geographical cooperation instruments such as the
European Development Fund for the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, and other major
instruments in Chapter B7 of the Community budget such as the regulations on human rights.

It has several