WRITTEN QUESTION E-1518/03 by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission. Delays in the construction of the Figueres to Perpignan section of the high-speed rail link.
Date: 2003-05-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, France, Spain, common transport policy, public-private partnership, rail network, trans-European network

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

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(2004/C 33 E/126)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1494/03

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

(2 May 2003)

Subject: Expressions of interest in the Sixth Framework Programme of Research for embryo research and

stem cell research

On 20 March 2002 the Commission published an invitation to submit expressions of interest in the Sixth
Framework Programme of Research (FP6). Until 7 June 2002, scientific institutes and businesses could
submit plans to the Commission for assessment as to their suitability for support from the Framework
Programme. On 4 October 2002 the Commission published the results.

From the published results it emerges that in 1997 expressions of interest were submitted for the thematic
priority ‘Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology’. This priority includes financial support for stem cell
research.

The regulation of human embryonic stem cell research is subject to subsidiarity in Europe, and different
practices exist in the Member States in this regard. In some Member States, for example, it is permitted to
produce human embryos for research purposes, whereas in other Member States this is explicitly
prohibited.

Under the compromise reached between the Council and the European Parliament in September 2002
concerning the five specific programmes within the FP, it was agreed that until the end of 2003 the
Commission should not finance any research programmes which included embryonic stem cell research.

How many expressions of interest have been submitted to the Commission under the thematic

1.
priority ‘Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology’ which involve embryonic stem cell research?

In which Member States are the scientific institutes and/or businesses based which submitted these

2.
expressions of interest?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(13 June 2003)

The Priority 1 Life ‘Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health’ received 2000 Expressions of
Interest (EoI). About 80 expressions of interest involving research on stem cell (animal or human stem
cells) were submitted.

The various sources of stem cells were explored (embryonic, foetal, umbilical cord blood, adult). The
specific sources of stem cells were not indicated in all EoI’s nor was the country in which the specific
research was going to be carried out. The Commission is therefore not in a position to provide more
detailed information regarding the number of EoI’s, which involve the use of human embryonic stem cells
and the countries where this research is planned to take place.

A first call for proposals for Priority 1 was published on 17 December 2002 and closed on 25 March
2003. At this stage of the analysis of the response to the call for proposals the Thematic Priority 1 has
received 26 proposals addressing research on stem cells and three proposals foresee to use banked or
isolated human embryonic stem cell in culture. This research involves laboratories in Belgium, Finland,
Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Israel.

(2004/C 33 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1518/03

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission

(6 May 2003)

Subject: Delays in the construction of the Figueres to Perpignan section of the high-speed rail link

According to various reports in the Spanish media, the Franco-Spanish intergovernmental commission for
the construction of the high-speed rail link between Figueres and Perpignan has broken off negotiations

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with the Euroferro group, formed by the companies Dragados and Bouygues, which had been chosen in
July 2002 to build and operate this section of the track under a concession contract.

This section figures among the 14 projects adopted almost a decade ago by the Essen European Council of
10 December 1994.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether the Member States involved have received or will receive Community grants for the

completion of this rail project, and

(cid:1) what steps it will take to ensure that the Member States concerned speed up the completion of this

project, which is a priority for the EU?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

The Perpignan-Figueras link is part of a trans-European transport network priority project, and is one of
the projects eligible for funding from the trans-European networks budget under the multiannual indicative
programme. Accordingly, EUR 64,5 million is being made available over the period 2001-2006 to
complete the programme of studies and to build the infrastructure. In 2001 the project was awarded a
study grant worth EUR 1 million, shared equally between Spain and France. Previously, over the period
1995-2000, it had already received financial support (cid:1) again from the trans-European networks budget (cid:1)
for technical and legal studies prior to launching the invitation to tender for the concession contract.

The delays in bringing the international link into service are basically due to the difficulties inherent in
setting up the concession for the international section between Perpignan and Figueras. The chosen mode
of financing is based on a public-private partnership. Accordingly, the Commission is bound to support
the French and Spanish authorities’ decision to seek innovative financing formulas, which is something it
encouraged in the communication ‘Developing the trans-European transport network’ adopted some weeks
ago (1). This support takes the form of the maximum Community contribution to the financing of the
international section currently authorised by the trans-European networks financial regulation, i.e. 10 % of
the total cost of the work. To facilitate the financing of trans-boundary sections of major infrastructure
projects, the Commission has proposed that the financial regulation be revised to allow a co-financing rate
of 20 % for work on trans-boundary rail projects which cross natural barriers. This proposal, which
Parliament adopted at first reading in July 2002 (2),
is still waiting for a common position from the
Council.

(1) COM(2003) 132 final.
(2) COM(2003) 38 final.

(2004/C 33 E/128)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1522/03

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 May 2003)

Subject: Unjustified increases in the cost of third-party motor insurance

Italy’s competition ombudsman has recently published the results of an investigation into third-party
motor insurance. This has brought to light the fact that, since 1994, the cost of insurance policies in Italy
has doubled and in some cases increased five-fold. The eagerly-awaited liberalisation of the third-party
motor insurance market in Italy (announced in 1994) has come to nothing, as the author of this question
pointed out in an earlier written question dated 14 February 2000. In some parts of Italy, premiums are
nowadays as much as 19 times as expensive as they were nine years ago and since last year they have
increased in cost by 11,6 %, as against an EU average of 4,8 %.