WRITTEN QUESTION E-2906/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. The Galicia-Portugal and Galicia-France-central Europe high-speed rail links.
Date: 2002-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Spain, common transport policy, high-speed transport, rail network, rail transport, trans-European network, transport infrastructure

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/17

Overcoming supply constraints is a central objective for EPAs. By removing obstacles to trade between the
ACP and the Union, EPAs will contribute to trade policy reforms within the ACP, introducing increased
openness and transparency and creating a more predictable policy framework. This will help to mobilise
economic operators and to attract investment. Certainly, development support will also be required. It is
therefore important to note that, despite their independent legal standing, the EPAs remain an integral part
of the Cotonou approach. To ensure that necessary trade and adjustment measures can be adequately
addressed, the programming exercise for the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), which is nearly
completed, has mainstreamed trade into development co-operation programmes, especially at the regional
level. Overall, programmes to be funded by the 9th EDF in the area of ACP regional integration and trade
capacity building currently amount to an estimated EUR 485 million. The mid-term and end-term reviews
foreseen by the Cotonou Agreement will pay particular attention to the coverage of EPA related
preparations.

The Commission has also agreed with individual ACP countries and regions a series of programmes to
meet trade capacity needs in the medium and long term. It is also actively engaged in export promotion
efforts in a number of ACP countries.

Further to this, there are also horizontal programmes, accessible to all ACP countries, which are designed
to strengthen export capacity. Two major examples are for the horticultural and fishery’s sectors, which
aim at assisting the ACP to align themselves with the requirements relating to sanitary and phytosanitary
standards for exporting these products.

A detailed overview of the profit margins of the European sugar industry (cid:1) on a country-by-country
2.
basis is not available at the present time. However, an external study is currently being undertaken in the
context of the reform of the common organisation of the market in sugar, which should cover these
issues.

3.
A breakdown of the profit margins (both with and without subsidies) of the major crops produced
under the common agricultural policy is not available at the present time and is under investigation within
the framework of the overall impact analysis of the mid term review communication.

Council Regulation (EC) No 416/2001 (1) sets out the products liberalised under the Everything But
4.
Arms (EBA) Initiative. Figures for 2001 of preferential imports under EBA have only been available since
September 2002 and as two years at least are necessary to objectively assess the impact of the EBA
initiative, it is too early to carry out an assessment.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 416/2001 of 28 February 2001 amending Regulation (EC) No 2820/98 applying a
multiannual scheme of generalised tariff preferences for the period 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2001 so as to
extend duty-free access without any quantitative restrictions to products originating in the least developed countries,
OJ L 60, 1.3.2001.

(2004/C 11 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2906/02

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

(16 October 2002)

Subject: The Galicia-Portugal and Galicia-France-central Europe high-speed rail links

Can the Commission provide information on the state of progress,
in terms of both planning and
construction, on the proposed high-speed rail lines which are to link the main cities of Galicia with each
other and Galicia as a whole with Oporto and Lisbon in Portugal and with the European heartland via the
Iberian ‘meseta’ and France, given that the bulk of construction work on these links is planned for the
present programming period 2000-2006?

What is the level of Community funding allocated to these projects?

What are the expected completion dates for the various stretches of the planned lines?

C 11 E/18

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2003)

The agreement signed by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works (Ministerio de Fomento) and the
government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia) defines the high-speed rail lines of concern to Galicia as the
following: Vigo-Ourense, Ourense-Monforte-Lugo, Lugo-A Coruña, Ponferrada-Monforte, Madrid-Ourense
(Zamora-A Coruña), Ourense-Santiago (Zamora-A Coruña) and the Atlantic route (Redondela-A Coruña).

The Spanish authorities have informed the Commission that a study on the Madrid-Ourense line is
currently in progress. In the case of the Ourense-Santiago line, the public information phase has been
completed and the environmental impact statement prepared. The environmental impact statement for the
Atlantic route (Redondela-A Coruña) has also been completed.

As regards possible Community part-financing of some of these works, the Spanish authorities have sent
the Commission a list of projects which have already received ERDF assistance (the total cost is only an
estimate and could change). It includes the following amounts certified by the final beneficiary at 13 March
2003:

(cid:1) Oroso-Ordes (Zamora-A Coruña line). Total cost: EUR 12,5 million; ERDF assistance: EUR 3,8 million,

(cid:1) Santiago-Berdia (Zamora-A Coruña line). Total cost: EUR 16,7 million; ERDF assistance: EUR 4,1 mil-

lion,

(cid:1) Osebe-Santiago (Zamora-A Coruña line). Total cost: EUR 38,6 million; ERDF assistance: EUR 2,75 mil-

lion,

(cid:1) San Cristóbal station-A Coruña (Zamora-A Coruña line). Total cost: EUR 9,2 million; ERDF assistance:

EUR 2,51 million.

(cid:1) Technical assistance for the study on the adaptation of the Ferrol-Tuy line (Atlantic route) Total cost:

EUR 153 258; ERDF assistance: EUR 39 000.

All these projects are included in measure 6,3 of the integrated operational programme for Galicia 2000-
2006.

In addition to these projects which have already received Community part-financing,
the Spanish
authorities have informed the Commission that wish to submit shortly for its approval the following major
Commission (the total cost is only an estimate and could change):

(cid:1) Santiago-Oroso (Zamora-A Coruña line). Total cost: over EUR 50 million,

(cid:1) Portas by-pass. Total cost: EUR 70 million,

(cid:1) Ordes by-pass. Total cost: EUR 50 million,

(cid:1) Bregua by-pass. Total cost: EUR 57 million.

(2004/C 11 E/020)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3037/02

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(24 October 2002)

Subject: VAT on repairs to war memorials

At present, VAT is charged on repairs to war memorials.

What plans does the Commission have to make this type of renovation work zero-rated for VAT, and thus
make repair work to our nations’ war monuments less costly?