WRITTEN QUESTION E-2277/03 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Construction faults on the Ionian highway.
Date: 2003-07-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Western Greece, common transport policy, engineering structure, road building

C 78 E/100

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

The 19 European countries which have to date acceded to the Charter, and which include Portugal, France,
Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Finland and Iceland, jointly founded a ‘European Association for Children in Hospital’ which decided, at its
7th international conference held in Brussels in 2002, to propose associating the EU institutions in its
discussions. Although this issue does not fall within the Community’s sphere of competence, will the
in particular by proposing that the
Commission indicate whether it intends to look into the matter,
Council adopt measures in line with the recommendations made in the Charter?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 2003)

As indicated by the Honourable Member, the issue of hospitalisation of children does not fall within the
Community’s sphere of competence.

The responsibility for health care lies with the Member States. The Commission is not able to intervene in
this respect and will,
the Council adopt measures in line with the
recommendations made in the Charter for Children in Hospital.

therefore, not propose that

(2004/C 78 E/0100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2277/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Construction faults on the Ionian highway

(9 July 2003)

In a few months the bridge between Rio and Antirrio which is intended to link the southern and northern
parts of western Greece will be completed. The Rio-Antirrio bridge is the point where the axis leading
from the southern Peloponnese to Patras meets the Athens-Corinth-Patras axis. The Antirrio side of the
bridge also marks the start of the axis leading to Epirus and the Albanian border which at some point
crosses the Egnatia highway. The theoretical development consequences of the new project for the whole
of western Greece and far beyond are obvious. However, the axis leading from Antirrio to the border is
essentially a very inadequate provincial road which is unable to play the part assigned to it.

Will the Commission say how and when this axis (the Ionian highway) is due to become a reality and
make the investment in the bridge worthwhile? Is it true that sections of the highway have already been
funded by the EU and that the Agrinio by-pass is not functioning properly and the Arta by-pass is not
functioning at all owing to very serious construction faults? Does it intend to press for these problems to
be corrected and, possibly, for responsibility for this state of affairs to be established?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 August 2003)

The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the answers given to Written Questions E-1799/03 by Mr
Hatzidakis (1) and P-0386/03 by Mr Averoff (2), as regards the questions of the co-funding with funds of the
European Union and the programming for the construction of the Agrinio and Arta by-passes and of the
whole Ionian road axe.

On the basis of the information available to the Commission, the by-passes of Agrinio and Arta are now
under construction. They are not completed and operational. No faults or other specific problems have
been reported by the national authorities for these projects.

The Commission will be informed on any new development concerning these projects and the whole
Ionian axe, and will act on the basis of this and any other relevant information, as provided by the
regulations in force for the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund.

(1) OJ C 58 E, 6.3.2004, p. 97.
(2) OJ C 222 E, 18.9.2003, p. 194.