WRITTEN QUESTION E-2907/01 by Guido Bodrato (PPE-DE) and Thierry Cornillet (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Lyon-Turin transalpine link.
Date: 2001-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Alpine Region, EU aid, EU financial instrument, France, Italy, economic development, rail transport, sustainable development, trans-European network

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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6.6.2002

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2001)

Under the Italian constitutional order, employment and training are the responsibility of the regions.

All regions in Italy receive funding for training from the European Social Fund, under Objectives 3 (centre
and north) and 1 (south and islands). In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of
21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1), all regions have been provided
with administrative
complement, etc.)
governing access to these funds.

(regional operational programme, programme

instruments

In particular, the programme complements which describe in detail the content of the actions were
adopted by the programme’s Monitoring Committees, which consist of all relevant partners (social
partners, provincial authorities, etc.) who are in a position to verify the relevance of the choice made. The
same applies to the selection criteria for training measures.

Consequently, in order to spend the funds awarded, it is imperative that the regions in receipt of such
financial assistance create implementation mechanisms (circulars, guidelines).

In addition, in order to measure the effectiveness of assistance from the European Social Fund in terms of
beneficiaries’ ability to enter or return to the labour market, Community action is subject to ex-ante, in
itinere and ex-post evaluation.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 134 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2907/01

by Guido Bodrato (PPE-DE) and Thierry Cornillet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Lyon-Turin transalpine link

(22 October 2001)

The Essen summit of December 1994 adopted a European programme of 14 priority infrastructure
projects, including the Lyon-Turin transalpine link, which forms part of the Lyon-Turin-Trieste link. It was
stated at the same summit that this link would come into service by 2010. Numerous measures and
surveys, as well as the constant support of the European Union, enabled the Italian and French states to
decide in a clear and irreversible fashion on the implementation of this new high-capacity goods and
passenger railway link. This decision, which ties in very well with the political vision of this assembly, was
favourably received. However, the report delivered by the intergovernmental committee and distributed
after the summit, and the official documents signed on 29 January 2001, still contain elements of
uncertainty which should be clarified as soon as possible.

The first of these is the projected date for implementation of the work. We must remember the date set at
Essen and try to come as close to it as possible. All the studies carried out to date note that the existing
rail line has reached saturation point, and take the view that a deadline of 2015 is too distant in the light
of the genuine needs for a modal rebalancing of transalpine transport. However, the abovementioned
documents unfortunately still contain a number of uncertainties as regards the date for final completion of
the work and set out a programme of surveys and studies which are clearly scheduled to run beyond
2015. This is entirely unacceptable, given that 10 years have already been devoted to surveys and studies,
and that the European Union has underlined the urgent need to find solutions to the problems of
transalpine transport as early as possible.

Secondly, the two governments have postponed until 2006 the choice between full completion of the line
and completion in two stages (first one tube, then the second), although the studies already carried out
show clearly that the full approach is the most cost-effective, the safest and the one that will cause the least
pollution to the alpine valleys.

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Finally, these documents make no reference to any kind of financial engineering study envisaging a mixed
public-sector, private-sector approach, which runs entirely counter to the provisions of the new financial
regulation approved by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament in June 1999 (Regulation
1655/1999 (1)). This is a serious shortcoming which reveals a lack of understanding on the part of those
responsible of the fundamental principles underlying Europe’s political will. If this lack of understanding
continued, with wrong references, for example, being used, the granting of Community subsidies at the
most favourable rate would be placed in jeopardy.

The European Union and its bodies clearly have a key role to play in the realisation of this important
project both from the financial point of view and from that of meeting the objectives. Could the
Commission therefore state its position on these three points, which are fundamental to the success of this
major project forming part of the construction of Europe?

(1) OJ L 197, 29.7.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

The Lyon-Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste transalpine link represents, for the Community, a key element of the
policy of modal rebalancing > particularly in sensitive areas such as the Alps > which has been
recommended for some considerable time by the Commission and which represents one of the most
salient aspects of the White Paper ‘European transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ adopted in
September 2001 (1). The recent incident in the Gothard road tunnel, which comes less than three years
after the Mont Blanc disaster, serves to remind us of the urgent need to implement such a policy
promoting the development of rail transport.

The present capacity of the rail infrastructures crossing the Alps and their characteristics are not however
compatible with the increase in movements of passengers and goods expected over the next few decades.
The Commission therefore shares the opinion of the Honourable Members that the priority must be to
complete the major alpine links identified by the Essen European Council
in December 1994, which
include the Lyon-Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste high-speed line/combined transport project and which were
listed in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on
Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (2).

In overall terms, this project meets two main objectives. It meets the economic development needs of
Northern Italy and a sizeable area of Eastern France and it also represents, with a view to enlargement, the
basic element of a new link between the Western and Eastern regions of the Union.

Following the Franco-Italian summit in Turin, the Commission sent letters to the Transport Ministers of
the two Member States concerned expressing both its satisfaction at the relaunch of the abovementioned
project and also its concern regarding the timescales for its implementation > 2015 was the completion
date mentioned > and the uncertainties which hung and continue to hang over certain aspects of the
project. The recent meetings between the French and Italian Governments have however dispelled some of
these doubts since the Ministers have agreed that the project should be completed in 2012 at the latest (3).

Although it is regrettable > for the reasons mentioned above > that the project cannot be completed
before the end of this decade, given the difficulties inherent in the work involved and the present state of
the project, then 2012 is a major improvement on previous forecasts.

few years.

However, the Commission shares the conviction of the Honourable Members that it is essential to decide
on the technical characteristics of the project as soon as possible if the new deadline is to be met. This
moreover is a condition that the project will have to meet to receive increased Community funding over
the Commission has on several occasions reminded the
the next
representatives of the two Member States of its preference for the immediate completion of a twin-tube
project, in accordance with the proposals of the Christophersen group endorsed by the Heads of State and
Government at Essen. Completion of the tubes in stages would seriously affect the attractiveness of the
project and would involve a number of risks for the operation of the line, apart from the long-term
nuisance for the inhabitants of the Alpine valleys in question.

In this connection,

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More specifically as regards the financial aspects, the Community has already contributed aid amounting to
EUR 62 million for studies relating to the international section of the project, Montmelian-Bussoleno.
Under the multiannual indicative programme 2001-2006 adopted by the Commission on 19 September
2001, additional funding of EUR 100 million has been approved for further studies and completion of the
exploratory galleries. Any further financial commitment will depend on whether the doubts surrounding
the characteristics of the project have been dispelled.

The Commission remains open to exploring other solutions, particularly public-private partnerships (PPP),
which could meet the considerable financial needs of the project. In this connection, a proposal to amend
the rules for the granting of Community financial aid, authorising a maximum contribution of 20 % as
against 10 % at present, was adopted by the Commission on 2 October 2001 (4). The increase in the rate of
Community aid for projects such as Lyon-Turin-Milan-Venice-Trieste should therefore make it easier to
involve the private sector in their funding.

the Commission shares the opinion of

In this respect,
the Honourable Members that a financial
engineering study should be carried out as soon as possible and it would be prepared to examine any
request for cofunding of such a study under the TEN-T budget. It also points out that the White Paper
clearly defines new principles for pricing in transport, which should make it possible, with the revenue
thus produced, to contribute to the funding of new infrastructures, particularly in the rail sector > in
accordance with the wishes of Parliament (5).

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.
(2) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(3) Gayssot-Lunardi meeting of 24 July 2001.
(4) Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending 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 > COM(2001) 545.

(5) COSTA Report (A5-0345/2000).

(2002/C 134 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2909/01

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Council

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Delay in taking-up of duties by an OLAF director

In June 2001, the Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) appointed Mr Alberto
Perduca Director responsible for investigations and operations.

However, Mr Perduca has not been able to take up office, because the Italian government is blocking his
leave of absence.

Is the Council aware of the reasons why it is doing so?

What steps is the Council taking to get the Italian government to lift the block it has imposed on leave of
absence, which obviously not only affects Mr Perduca but will also prevent OLAF from recruiting other
Italian public prosecutors as temporary officials?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

The Council would draw attention in this connection to point 5 of the Council Conclusions of December
2000 on the first report from the Supervisory Committee of the Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), in which it
states that it shares the view of the Supervisory Committee that the Director of OLAF must rapidly recruit
the staff provided for in the establishment plan, while observing a high level of professional competence.