WRITTEN QUESTION E-0132/03 by Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE)and Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission. Resumption of the train service between Brussels and Milan.
Date: 2003-01-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, Italy, business policy, common transport policy, intra-EU transport, rail network, transport company, transport user

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/99

Fully aware that public confidence depends on the assurance of a high level of safety and a clear and
transparent answer to the question of radioactive waste processing, the Commission put forward a package
of legislative measures in the field of nuclear safety on 6 November 2002 (3). This consists of two
proposals for Directives, one concerning the safety of nuclear installations in operation or undergoing
decommissioning and the other concerning the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.
Having obtained the opinion of the group of experts provided for in Article 31 of the Euratom Treaty, the
Commission requested the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, which is due to be delivered
shortly. The texts of the proposals for Directives can be found on the website of the Commission’s
Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, under the heading ‘Nuclear Safety’.

With a view to transparency in energy matters, the Commission regularly posts the documents it produces
on the Internet. The above proposals will help considerably to reassure the public by showing that the
Commission is paying close attention to nuclear safety issues and doing what needs to be done to set rules
at Community level.

It is not the Commission’s role to defend or impose one source of energy or another, but it needs to
present the pros and cons of each energy source in a responsible and quantified manner. Energy choices
have to be made by the Member States, and it is the Member States and the industry which are best placed
to carry out public information campaigns. The Commission’s task is to ensure compliance with all the
primary and secondary legislation in the various fields.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.
(2) COM(2002) 321 final.
(3) COM(2003) 32 final.

(2003/C 242 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0132/03

by Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE)
and Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(28 January 2003)

Subject: Resumption of the train service between Brussels and Milan

The train service between Brussels and Milan has been cancelled. This decision is causing serious
inconvenience to those people from Belgium, Luxembourg or France wanting to travel to Italy and in
particular Italians living in central and northern Europe.

The decision is clearly at odds with EU transport policy which is aimed at developing the major
communications routes and is also a serious obstacle to tourism and education for the many children of
Italians living abroad and studying in Milan.

What is the European Commission’s position on this matter and what measures does it intend to take to
secure the resumption of this service in full, or at least on a weekly basis?

(2003/C 242 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0252/03

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(5 February 2003)

Subject: Discontinuation of the Brussels-Milan overnight train service

At a time when Europe is enlarging eastwards and upgrading lines of communication would provide the
public with the first sign of genuine proximity, Belgium is managing to discontinue the overnight
couchette train service from Brussels to Milan, which also caters for vehicles. This service is run jointly
with the French, German, Luxembourg and Swiss railways and is of vital importance to Italian workers in
particular, who use this service in steady numbers. Should Belgium have been experiencing difficulties in
continuing operations on its section of the line, it could have sought contacts with the governments of the
countries rather than slashing the service. In view of this, can the Commission urgently reinstate the
Brussels-Milan train service, thereby ensuring that the needs and expectations of Community citizens are
met?