WRITTEN QUESTION E-2844/01 by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission. Aosta-Milan motorway.
Date: 2001-10-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Lombardy, Valle d'Aosta, competence of the Member States, flood, motorway, road building, trans-European network, transport network

C 115 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

(2002/C 115 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2842/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: The Madrid Convention

Cross-border cooperation in Europe, including the Member States of the Union, is regulated by the Madrid
Convention and the laws ratifying it in the individual countries, as well as the additional protocols to the
Convention (not ratified by all the countries). At the same time, for Union countries bordering on other
countries such as Switzerland and Slovenia Community cross-border cooperation is being developed, for
example in the context of the Interreg projects. Does the Commission not consider that it would be
appropriate to bring the old Madrid Convention into line with new international agreements, in particular
in order to provide a consistent and improved framework for the Union countries?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 2001)

The Commission is always interested in encouraging the development of tools and processes which can
further cross-border cooperation and is aware that several Interreg Community Initiative programmes
make use of the Madrid Convention for creating the necessary management structures for implementing
the programmes.

As the Madrid Convention comes under the auspices of the Council of Europe, it is for that organisation to
decide whether it should be amended or not. The Commission is however closely associated with the work
of their relevant instances and would be ready to contribute actively in the event of a possible revision of
this Convention.

(2002/C 115 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2844/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Aosta-Milan motorway

As the reopening of the Mont Blanc Tunnel grows closer there is still great concern 2 along the route of
the road, which is for good reason included in the trans-European transport network because of its
importance 2 about an interruption in the motorway link between the A4 and A5 motorways (both to
and from Milan), for which the firm Ativa has the concession. A whole carriageway in the commune of
Pavone Canavese (Turin) was destroyed by last year’s floods and rebuilding work has not yet started. What
information does the Commission have on this and does it intend to take any official steps, in view of the
importance of this route in the trans-European network?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2001)

The Commission confirms that the section of the motorway between Milan and Aosta forms part of the
trans-European transport network and that this section is therefore likely to include projects of common
interest within the meaning of the Community guidelines on the development of the trans-European
transport network.

To date,
Community support for road repairs following the damage caused by last year’s flood.

the Commission has not received any request

from the Italian Government

for possible

16.5.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/173

The Commission recalls that the improvement, use and maintenance of roads forming part of the trans-
European transport network is the responsibility of the national authorities of the Member States or the
institutions to which the authorities have entrusted the management of these roads. In particular, Member
States must ensure a high level of road safety.

The Commission is prepared to examine the situation referred to by the Honourable Member in more
detail on the basis of a full dossier on the subject to be sent to it.

(2002/C 115 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2846/01

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: US embargo against Spanish tuna

(17 October 2001)

Laying down rules on the statistical tracking of tuna is a fundamental requirement for compliance with the
Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme (AIDCP). The lack of such rules in
Spanish legislation led to a US embargo being placed on imports of yellowfin tuna and derived products
from Spain on 3 August 2000.

Spain has since incorporated the rules required under the AIDCP into its legislation. Even though the
Spanish Government has now complied with the above requirement, however, the North American
authorities have still not lifted the embargo on the fresh grounds that Spain is not a member of the Inter-
American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the RFO which is at the origin of the requirement.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

Does the Commission not consider the continuation of the US embargo to be totally unjustified, given that
Spain has now incorporated the relevant rules into its legislation and has even applied for IATTC
membership, which has so far been refused?

What steps has the Commission taken or will it take to resolve this situation, which is seriously harming
the Community firms involved?

What steps has it taken or will it take to offset the damage already caused to those firms?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 November 2001)

The Commission is well aware of the current situation regarding the embargo applied by the United States
on countries that have not received an ‘affirmative finding’ under American law to enable exporting
countries to market their tuna and tuna products on the American market. One of the requirements is that
a tuna tracking and verification system as defined in the Agreement for the International Conservation of
Dolphins (AIDCP) is applied by the exporting country. However, this is not the sole element to be
considered by the United States in its determination. Another element taken into account by the United
States in its determination is the membership of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).

The Commission is fully aware that Spain has introduced national legislation implementing a tuna tracking
system as required by the AIDCP and the Community is currently discussing within the Council a
Community tuna tracking and verification system that would meet the AIDCP requirements.

As the Honourable Member is well aware, neither Spain nor the Community are members of this
organisation, and as a result this effectively means that the United States will not be inclined to issue an
‘affirmative finding’ until membership of IATTC is resolved. The Commission is of the view that this
double requirement of being a member of the IATTC and having a tuna tracking and verification system as
defined in the AIDCP is contradictory.