WRITTEN QUESTION P-2728/03 by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Commission. Norrbotten rail link.
Date: 2003-09-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Finland, Sweden, common transport policy, rail network, trans-European network

C 65 E/202

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

The Commission considers that the budgetary goals and rule of the EC Treaty and the Stability and
4.
Growth Pact remain valid. A budget position of ‘close to balance or in surplus’ provides an appropriate
framework for prudent budgetary management that is in the economic self-interest of all countries.
The budgetary objective of ‘close to balance or in surplus’ provides ample room to allow the automatic
stabilisers to operate fully in response to economic downturns and to cope with the budgetary impact of
major reforms. It is also an appropriate medium and long-term goal, given high debt levels in many
countries, substantial contingent liabilities and because ageing populations will lead to large increase in
spending on pension and health. All these challenges can only be met if countries make sustained efforts
to run down public debt in the coming decade.

In addition, both the Commission and the Council agree that both public and private sector will have to
contribute if the Lisbon goals are to be achieved.
In the area of public finances, governments can
contribute by spending public money as efficiently as possible, by redirecting public expenditure towards
growth-enhancing cost-effective expenditure subject to overall budgetary constraints, and by seeking a
higher leverage of public support on private investment. Indeed, this is the reasoning behind guideline
No 14 of the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines adopted by the Council on 26 June 2003. This guideline
contains several ways in which the public sector should enhance its contribution to growth, one being ‘by
redirecting,
i.e. while respecting overall budgetary constraints, public expenditure towards growth-
enhancing cost-effective investment in physical and human capital and knowledge’ (2).

5.
The Commission has taken action to improve the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) fiscal
framework in the light of the experience of the first four years of EMU. On 27 November 2002, it adopted
a Communication on strengthening the co-ordination of budgetary policies (3). This Communication
contains concrete proposals to better take into account the economic cycle when assessing budgetary
positions, to avoid pro-cyclical policies in good times, to ensure the sustainability of public finances, to
enhance the contribution of public finances to growth and employment, and to improve the enforcement
of the rules. The Ecofin Council broadly shared the view of the Commission and agreed with the
Commission that there was no need to change the current legal framework and that improvements could
be made to ensure an effective application of the rules. Both the Commission and the Council are now
implementing the agreed approach.

6.

The Commission refers the Honourable Member to the answers given above.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/97 of 7 July 1997 on speeding up and clarifying the implementation of the

excessive deficit procedure, OJ L 209, 2.8.1997.

(2) This message has been particularly stressed in the Commission Communication of 10 January 2003 on ‘Investing

efficiently in education and training: an imperative for Europe’.

(3) COM(2002) 668 final.

(2004/C 65 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2728/03

by Ewa Hedkvist Petersen (PSE) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject: Norrbotten rail link

The presentation of the high-level group’s work on 30 June 2003 showed that none of the priority TEN-T
infrastructure projects include the most northerly parts of Sweden. The Norrbotten rail project is a missing
link and a cross-border project of significance for Member States Sweden and Finland as well as for third
countries Norway and Russia. Distances for transport in northern Europe are long and there are often no
alternative forms of transport or routes. Industry is therefore more vulnerable to disruption than in Central
Europe where alternative means of transport do exist.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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It is important to ensure that the TEN-T corridors also cover northern Sweden and Finland. Good
infrastructure enables development to take place across the Union and it is important for industry and
society to have good communications throughout
the Union and with the Barents Sea region.
The Norrbotten rail link would therefore facilitate exchanges between the Member States and strengthen
cohesion.

Can the Commission envisage including the Norrbotten rail link as one of the priority TEN-T projects?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2003)

The High-Level Group on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) was mandated by the
Commission to identify by the summer of 2003 the priority projects of the trans-European transport
network up to 2020 on the basis of proposals from the Member States and the candidate countries.

The report is available in the internet:
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/ten/transport/revision/hlg/2003_report_kvm_en.pdf).

This exercise is part of a broader review of the Community guidelines for the development of the trans-
European transport network. This Group, which was chaired by Mr Karel Van Miert, consisted of one
representative from each Member State, one observer from each candidate country and an observer from
the European Investment Bank.

On the basis of proposals put forward by the present and future Member States, the Group has selected
new priority projects to be carried out between now and 2020.

Some of the main criteria for the Group to select projects are whether the project is part of a main trans-
European axis or it crosses natural barriers; whether it could solve congestion problems or it corresponds
to missing links; the potential economic viability and other socio-economic benefits have been also taken
into consideration. In a second stage, the Group examined the European value added of the project, the
strengthening of cohesion and the contribution to sustainable development.

The report of the High Level Group does not contain the railway line in the Swedish region Norrbotten.

However, concerning Sweden and Finland, the High-Level-Group has confirmed the priority for the
projects relating to the Nordic Triangle corridors. Furthermore, the proposal to develop the motorways of
the sea is a new concept to help by-pass bottlenecks or to better connect the peripheral and island areas of
the Union, representing in some cases a genuine competitive alternative to land transport, particularly in
the Baltic Sea area.

The Commission is working on a proposal for the revision of the TEN-T Guidelines on the basis of the
High Level Group work and findings.

(2004/C 65 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2729/03

by Toine Manders (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject: Illegal introduction of a modified deposit system in Germany

The earlier question on the illegal introduction of a deposit system in Germany (E-1549/03 (1)) and the
answer by Commissioner Wallström on behalf of the Commission on 3 July 2003 prompt the following
considerations.