WRITTEN QUESTION E-1402/01 by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU funding for the completion of the A6 Amberg-Waidhaus motorway.
Date: 2001-05-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Germany, motorway, road building, transport network

C 364 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council was informed by the Portuguese Foreign Minister Gama during the Council (configuration
General Affairs) on 19 March 2001 about the kidnapping of eight Portuguese citizens in the Angolan
province of Cabinda. Ministers expressed concern over the humanitarian situation of the Portuguese
hostages. They strongly condemned their kidnapping and called on those responsible to release all hostages
immediately. They recalled the EU(cid:146)s condemnation of such practices and stressed the importance of the
strict observance of the principles of humanitarian law.

Since then the question has not been raised within the Council or its competent working groups, neither
has the question of sending the High Representative Mr Solana or any other representative into the region.

Nevertheless, the High Representative has been kept informed about the dØmarches undertaken in the
matter by the President of the Republic of Congo, Mr Denis Sassou-Nguesso and the President of Gabon,
Mr El Hadj Omar Bongo.

(2001/C 364 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1402/01

by Emilia M(cid:252)ller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 May 2001)

Subject: EU funding for the completion of the A6 Amberg-Waidhaus motorway

The A6 motorway is part of the European Paris-N(cid:252)rnberg-Prague east-west link and hence part of the
trans-European Transport Network. In view particularly of the expected increase in traffic volume in the
wake of membership of the Czech Republic, rapid completion of the remaining gap between Amberg and
Waidhaus is urgently needed.

Can the Commission say in this context:

(cid:129) which EU funds can be allocated to such projects in principle, and up to what level,

(cid:129) what requests for funding have been made to the EU by the German Federal Government for the

completion of the A6 stretch of motorway,

(cid:129) what funding has so far been granted,

(cid:129) what future financing can be anticipated for the three remaining part-sections?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

The A 6 motorway in Germany has been included in the trans-European transport network (1), and
projects along this axis are therefore in principle eligible for Community financial aid under the trans-
European transport network budget line. The relevant procedures are laid down in Council Regulation (EC)
No 2236/95 (2), amended by Regulation (EC) No 1655/1999 of the Parliament and of the Council (3). The
total amount of aid granted under this Regulation cannot exceed 10 % of the total investment cost of the
project concerned.

As far as the Amberg-Waidhaus section of the A6 motorway, constituting the immediate border section
with the Czech Republic, is concerned, the German Federal Government submitted to the Commission
requests for Community financial aid in 1997 and 2001. On this basis, a grant of € 6,51 million was
allocated in 1997 to support the construction of the Lohma-Waidhaus and the Pfreimd-Woppenhof sub-
sections. A Commission Decision regarding a possible support for the Kaltenbaum-Lohma section, subject
to request under the budget 2001, is still pending. No request was so far submitted to the Commission for
the Woppenhof-Kaltenbaum sub-section of the project.

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/103

Community co-financing of this sub-section will mainly depend on its technical and (cid:145)financial maturity(cid:146)
(i.e. the provision of the necessary national funding), and be subject to the availability of funds under the
trans-European transport network budget line in the coming years.

(1) 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 (OJ L 228, 9.9.1996, p.1.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of

Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (OJ L 228, 23.9.1995, p. 1).

(3) Regulation (EC) No 1655/1999 of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 1999 (OJ L 197, 29.7.1999, p. 1).

(2001/C 364 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1403/01

by Emilia M(cid:252)ller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 May 2001)

Subject: Research project on avoiding damage to fish in hydroelectric power stations

For many fish species hydroelectric power stations represent an often fatal obstacle on their natural
migratory paths. For migratory fish such as the European eel this poses a threat to their continued
existence.

In 1996 the first stage of a research project on this subject was commissioned by the Bavarian Agriculture
Ministry. In the second stage, testing is now due to begin of the proposed technical methods of avoiding
harm to fish at hydroelectric power stations. Extensive funding is needed for this. Talks with possible
cooperation partners in Austria and the Netherlands on implementing the research project jointly are now
under way.

1.

2.

Are there possible sources of funding for such research projects within the EU institutions (e.g. (cid:145)LIFE(cid:146))?

Under what conditions would possible funding be granted?

3. What level of funding would be possible?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

The Fifth Research and Technological Development framework programme (1998-2002) allows for the
funding of research projects on the impact of hydroelectric plants on the migration of species such as the
eel, in particular under key action 5.1.2 (cid:129) Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture (cid:129) interactions between
environment, fisheries and aquaculture (cid:129) of the Specific Programme on Quality of Life, provided that
a highly innovative scientific content is included in this type of research and there is a European High-level
Partnership (with a minimum of two countries and three scientific partnerships). The closing date for the
next call for proposal for research actions in this field (interaction resources/environment) is 18 October
2001.

A research project on this subject was accepted at the end of 2000, and is due to be completed by 2002. It
concerns project OLRT 1999-31141 (cid:145)Management of silver eel: human impact on downstream migration
silver eel in the river Meuse(cid:146) coordinated by Kema Power Generation & Sustainables in the Netherlands.
One of the expectations of this project is to develop a turbine management system that provides effective
protection of eels when crossing through plants.

In the key action (cid:145)Global change, climate and biodiversity,(cid:146) proposals are solicited for a deadline of
15 October 2001 for area 2.3.2 (cid:145)Reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with potentially conflicting
human activities.(cid:146) The call for proposals seeks work that would (cid:145)formulate and evaluate the scientific,