WRITTEN QUESTION E-1760/03 by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission. Turin to Lyons high-speed rail link: a priority for Europe.
Date: 2003-05-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: France, Italy, common transport policy, rail network, trans-European network

C 65 E/90

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

However, although it has already been possible to assess at a glance the wide range of immediate health
impacts (e.g. numerous cases of conjunctivitis, headaches, nausea and respiratory problems) on people who
have come into direct or indirect contact with fuel oil from the ‘Prestige’, nothing is known about the
effects that may appear in the future owing to chronic exposure to these potentially toxic compounds.

Greenpeace Spain has published a report entitled ‘The impact of the spillage from the “Prestige” on human
health and public health’
in association with the Instituto Municipal de Investigación Médica and the
Autonomous University of Barcelona, which proposes that a two-stage investigation be conducted to
establish the short-term and long-term effects of this pollution incident on the population.

Under the Treaties it is within the Community’s powers to promote health by means of Community action
programmes and by encouraging studies aimed at obtaining data for health indicators and epidemiological
monitoring and control.

Has the Commission in the past promoted any type of study relating to the short-term and long-term
effects of oil pollution incidents on human health?

Will it heed the calls made in the report by Greenpeace Spain and promote studies into the consequences
of the ‘Prestige’ incident?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Referring to the question of the Honourable Member on the existence of Community Action Programmes
to study health effects of environmental factors, the Commission is pleased to inform her that the
Parliament and the Council adopted, under Decision 1296/1999/EC (1), a programme of Community action
on pollution-related diseases in the context of the action in the field of public health (1999-2001).

None of the projects funded under this programme refers to studies on health effects due to fuel
contamination as these effects are well documented scientifically and have already been used as a scientific
basis for the development of the environmental and safety at work legislation in the domain.

If the Committee members of the new public health action programme adopted on 23 September 2002 (2)
(Decision No 1786/2002/EC) consider long-term health effects of fuel contamination as a priority area, the
Commission would include it under the priority actions of the work programme 2004.

(1) Decision No 1296/1999/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 1999 adopting a programme of
Community action on pollution-related diseases in the context of the framework for action in the field of public
health, OJ L 155, 22.6.1999.

(2) Decision No 1786/2002/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 adopting a programme of

Community action in the field of public health, OJ L 271, 9.10.2002.

(2004/C 65 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1760/03

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(27 May 2003)

Subject: Turin to Lyons high-speed rail link: a priority for Europe

The French Government has announced that work on the Turin to Lyons high-speed rail line section
cannot begin before 2015.

It is essential to build this line not just for Piedmont, an important geo-economic area, but also in order to
create an interconnected Europe-wide system of links between the northern and southern halves of the
continent and to link northern Italy to eastern Europe.

13.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/91

Will not the Union stress again, in particular for the benefit of the French Government, that the Turin to
Lyons section constitutes a priority where completion of Corridor V is concerned, as the Member of the
Commission responsible for transport has repeatedly stated?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2003)

The French Government has not yet officially adopted a position on the Lyon-Turin project. The Ministry
of Economic Affairs and Finance and the Ministry of Transport have carried out an audit at its request.
This was followed by a debate in the National Assembly and the French Senate in May 2003. On the basis
of the conclusions of the audit and the debate, the French Government will take a decision in the autumn
on the priority it intends to give the project. Against this background, the Commission has emphasised on
several occasions, in Parliament as well as to the French authorities, the major importance of the Lyon-
Turin project in restoring the modal balance of traffic on a strategic route which will enable western and
eastern Europe to be linked across the Alps and Italy. The support given takes the form of a significant
financial contribution amounting to EUR 100 million for the period 2001-2006 (cid:1) under the budget for
the trans-European networks (cid:1) for the studies programme.

In addition, the Lyon-Turin project is one of the projects covered by the scope of the Commission
proposal to increase to 20 % the rate of co-funding for which cross-border rail projects crossing natural
barriers could be eligible under the budget for the trans-European networks (TEN). The proposal (cid:1) which
was amended (1) following the vote on first reading in Parliament in July 2002 (cid:1) is still languishing before
the Council, and it is not possible to anticipate when the 20 % rate will become effective.

(1) COM(2003) 38 final.

(2004/C 65 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1792/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: The Convention and the principle of non-discrimination

What is the view of the Commission on the inclusion of the principle of non-discrimination in the future
constitution of the EU in the framework of the work of the Convention?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2003)

The Commission feels that, in general terms, the principle of non-discrimination has been satisfactorily
incorporated in the draft EU constitution drawn up by the Convention.

It would draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the following points in particular:

(cid:1) Article I-2 (Union’s values) includes equality as one of the Union’s fundamental values;

(cid:1) Article I-3 (Union’s objectives), which states that the Union’s aim is to promote its values, combat
social exclusion and discrimination, promote social justice and protection, equality between women
and men, and solidarity between generations;

(cid:1) Article I-4 (Fundamental freedoms and non-discrimination), which prohibits any discrimination on

grounds of nationality;

(cid:1) The inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the draft constitution, which contains a title on

equality;