WRITTEN QUESTION E-0065/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Galicia and the European rail transport network.
Date: 2002-01-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Galicia, budget, common transport policy, high-speed transport, rail network, rail transport, trans-European network

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/145

2.

The Commission is aware of this fact.

3.
In relation to Videowatch (cid:23) the contractor supplying broadcast services to the Commission (cid:23) the
company placed an advertisement in the Bulletin which included the wording referred to. The Commission
has since drawn the attention of its contractor to the importance of not repeating this wording in future
advertisements.

4.
Individual cases have to be evaluated by the national courts on the basis of the information contained
in the replies to written questions E-4100/00 and E-779/01. The Commission is not competent to start
in relation to
proceedings against private companies and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s)
Community-law on free movement of workers. Therefore,
it is up to the migrant workers who feel
discriminated to start proceedings against the relevant companies or NGO’s.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001.
(2) OJ C 235 E, 21.8.2001.
(3) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001.

(2002/C 160 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3577/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

Subject: Inclusion of Galicia in the Iberian high-speed rail network

(9 January 2002)

In the White Paper entitled ‘European Transport Policy for 2010: time to decide’ (1), the Commission
includes the Iberian high-speed rail network amongst the 60 proposals put forward under the policy. How
is Galicia to be included in the rail scheme, both within the Galician network and the latter’s links with the
rest of Spain and with France, and in the Ferrol-Lisbon corridor? What timetable for the construction work
has been established and how much funding has been allocated? What relevant proposals have been put
forward by the Spanish and Portuguese Governments?

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2002/C 160 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0065/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

Subject: Galicia and the European rail transport network

(25 January 2002)

The Spanish presidency’s priorities, presented by the Foreign Minister, include the boost to be given by the
European Council in Barcelona in March to a European area of transport and telecommunications as a
guarantee of an efficient use of resources and an integrated economy.

In this context, what expectations as regards timescale and budget does the Council have, during the
Spanish presidency, for finalising the high-speed train link between Galicia and the centre of Europe and
Portugal? Will it abide by the deadline of 2007?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3577/01 and E-0065/02

(25/26 March 2002)

The Commission proposal on the revision of the Decision No 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for
the development of the trans-European transport network (1) provides details about the railway network
development in Spain (see maps 3,0 and 3,5 of the Annex to the Proposal). The proposal provides
furthermore for the interoperability of the Iberian high-speed rail network.

C 160 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

The examination of this proposal by the Council is now underway. Hence, pending a final decision by the
Council and the European Parliament on this matter, the Council is not in a position to indicate in which
way the eventually revised Decision will affect the situation of Galicia at the level of regional, national and
trans-European railway networks. Furthermore, the Council underlines that the inclusion of a particular
railway project in the trans-European transport network outline plan in no way prejudges the final
decision regarding the actual implementation of a particular project; this competence lies with national
authorities. In the same vein, decisions regarding the timetable for the construction work and the allocated
funding also fall under the competence, in the case referred by the Honourable Parliamentarian, of the
Spanish national authorities.

(1) OJ C 362 E, 18.12.2001.

(2002/C 160 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3578/01

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(9 January 2002)

Subject: Galicia and ‘motorways of the sea’

In view of Galicia’s strategic position within Europe’s network of seas and the Atlantic routes which
provide a link between Europe and the other continents, how (in terms of timetable and funding) is Galicia
to be involved in the development of the infrastructure which is needed if the ‘motorways of the sea’
which feature as priority measures in the White Paper on European transport policy (1) are to be created?

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.

Reply

(25/26 March 2002)

The Council recalls that in the Commission’s view (cid:23) as expressed in its White Paper (cid:23) ‘motorways of the
sea’ should be created in the context of a regulatory framework based on the following elements: legislative
proposals in the field of maritime and port policy, the Marco Polo programme for the promotion of
intermodality (1), and the larger revision of the Community guidelines for the development of the trans-
European transport network due in 2004.

The Council is fully aware of the geo-strategic position of Galicia in this respect. Nevertheless, and in the
absence of any of the legislative proposals as referred to above, the Council is not yet in a position to give
a concrete answer to the question regarding the inclusion of Galicia in the development of
the
infrastructure needed to create the ‘motorways of the sea’.

The Council furthermore underlines that the actual implementation of such projects to create ‘motorways
of the sea’ will depend on a final decision by the national authorities. Issues such as the timetable for the
construction work and the allocation of
the national
authorities.

funds fall equally under the competence of

(1) This programme, for which the legislative proposal is due to be presented by the Commission shortly, would allow
a co-financing for the creation of new services of short-distance maritime transport. Requests for co-financing
would have to be addressed to the Commission by the national authorities of the Member State.