WRITTEN QUESTION E-0193/03 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Traffic problem in Athens.
Date: 2003-01-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, common transport policy, competence of the Member States, toll, town traffic, transport policy

C 242 E/106

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

The Commission therefore considers, on the basis of the information supplied by the Honourable Member,
that Directive 85/337/EEC is not applicable.

if the viaduct could be regarded as forming part of a road or railway, which are listed in
However,
it is possible that Greek legislation requires the project to undergo an
Annex II.10.e to the Directive,
environmental impact assessment procedure. If the Honourable Member knows of any factors which might
show there to be an infringement, the Commission would ask him to supply all the relevant information
so that it can examine whether the project fully complies with the requirements deriving from Directive
85/337/EEC.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2003/C 242 E/107)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0193/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2003)

Subject: Traffic problem in Athens

According to reports in the Greek press, the Commission has funded programmes (such as Euronet,
Europrice, Afford etc.) to evaluate road charging schemes in some European cities,
including Athens,
which is an Olympic city and in less than 19 months hosts the 2004 Olympic Games. One of the
proposals was to introduce a system of additional charges (tolls) to use the roads in the centre of Athens.
Remarkably, in Athens no tunnels are built for underground traffic as they are in other European cities
such as Brussels, a system which would certainly relieve the congestion.

Is it true that the introduction of tolls in Athens is under consideration? In which Member States are there
no tolls at all on motorways or other roads? What is the Commission’s view regarding the construction of
underground tunnels as part of the works which it jointly funds in Athens? Does the Commission know
whether the co-funded works on the Athens Metro are proceeding in due and proper manner, in particular
on the basis of detailed surveys, following the recent subsidence in Chalandri in Attica which left a crater
in the middle of the road directly above the construction site of a metro line?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 2003)

The Commission has funded several projects under the 4th and the 5th Framework Research Programmes
on transport pricing. The cities and policies to be analysed in these projects are selected by the study team,
not by the Commission. The fact that pricing in Athens is addressed by several projects reflects the success
of Greek researchers in the calls for proposals.

The decision to introduce an urban road pricing system in Athens is a decision that, in line with the
subsidiarity principle, should be taken by the competent authorities and not by the Commission. The
Commission is not aware of any plans for Athens.

Directive 1999/62/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1999, on the charging of heavy
goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (1) is the Community legal instrument for the levying of
taxes, tolls and user charges on lorries above 12 tonnes (T). Member States levying tolls and user charges
on vehicles below 12 T do not have to comply with the provisions contained in Directive 1999/62/EC as
such tolls and user charges fall outside its scope. As a rule, tolls and user charges shall be imposed only on
users of motorways or other mufti-lane roads with characteristics similar to motorways, or users of
bridges, tunnels and mountain passes. At present, Member States relying solely on taxation instruments

9.10.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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instead of user charges or tolls on interurban roads are Ireland, Finland and the United Kingdom. In urban
areas, London introduced a congestion charging scheme in February 2003. Similar systems are already in
place in some Norwegian cities and are being planned or tested in other European cities.

Concerning urban transport, according to Article 9 of Directive 1999/62/EC, nothing prevents Member
States from imposing other charges as parking fees, urban traffic charges and congestion charges.
Consequently, the urban charges in question seem to be in conformity with this Directive.

As indicated in the White Paper ‘European transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ (2) the Commission
plans to present a Community framework providing for a new structure of infrastructure use charging.
This was also requested by the European Council of March 2003 (point 54 of Conclusions).

its disposal positive cost-benefit analysis for the underground projects of
The Commission has at
extensions of the Athens Metro. These extensions are currently under construction or under design and are
co-financed by the Community Support Framework 2000-2006 for Greece.

On the basis of information provided by the Greek Authorities to the Commission, the failure of the soil
which occurred in the works of one extension of the Athens Metro, in January 2003, is due to the non-
respect of construction rules and steps provided by the design of the project, by the contractor. The
contractor will assume the full cost of all the measures which are taken to restore the consequences of this
failure and to ensure the follow up of works in safety.

The Greek Authorities responsible for the construction of the Athens Metro must have proceeded to all the
necessary studies,
for the tendering and
contracting of the projects of the Athens Metro. The Commission has no evidence that this is not the case.

investigations and soil protection measures,

including soil

(1) OJ L 187, 20.7.1999.
(2) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2003/C 242 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0202/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(3 February 2003)

Subject: Investigation by OLAF and the Bari Public Prosecutor’s Office into the use by the Puglia Regional

Council of funds earmarked for professional training

The answer to Question P-0656/01 (1) indicates, with regard to the use by the Puglia Regional Council of
funds earmarked for professional training, that:

(cid:1) OLAF opened an investigation on 28 July 2000;

(cid:1) the Commission has given its authorisation for one of its officials, an expert in European Social Fund

financial procedures, to be interviewed by the Bari Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Has OLAF interviewed the lawyer Giuseppe Di Donna, former member of the Puglia Regional

1.
Executive with responsibility for professional training?

2.

Has the OLAF investigation been completed? If so, what were its findings?

Has the judicial investigation by the Bari Public Prosecutor’s Office been completed? If so, what were

3.
its findings?

(1) OJ C 235 E, 21.8.2001, p. 234.