WRITTEN QUESTION No. 248/99 by Paul RÜBIG Motorway link west of Wels, Austria
C 348/44 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 3. 12. 1999 (1999/C 348/053) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0248/99 by Paul Rübig (PPE) to the Commission (12 February 1999) Subject: Motorway link west of Wels, Austria With the North-South artery we are endeavouring to create an integrated road network from the North Sea to Greece. The 1 600 km of road between Hamburg and Belgrade is complete apart from two stretches in Austria. The link west of the town of Wels will join the A8 Innkreis motorway and the A9 Phyrn motorway. At present long-distance traffic has to make a considerable detour or take the ring-road east of Wels, a federal road that passes through a built-up area. The link west of Wels will greatly increase road safety: the total distance covered by vehicles will be reduced by 100 m km p. a. , total driving time by about 900 000 hours. The economic gain is estimated at almost half a billion Schillings. Pollution will be sustainably reduced. Fuel consumption per 5 000 vehicles will then fall by 10 000 tonnes p. a. The motorway link west of Wels is still at the project stage. How does the Commission intend to support and accelerate the implementation of this project? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (13 April 1999) The road project ‘Westspange Wels’ has been identified as a project of common interest in Decision No 1692/ 96/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (1). These guidelines constitute a general reference framework intended to encourage the Member States concerned in carrying out the projects of common interest that they identify. The decision on implementing the road project in question and its financing is the responsability of the Austrian government. According to Council Regulation (EC) 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (2), the Community can support this project, provided that a series of conditions and criteria are fulfilled. Any application for financial aid under this Regulation has to be submitted by the Member State concerned. The criteria on which the selection of measures in view of the granting of Community financial aid are based include, for example, project maturity, the solidity of the financial package or the environmental consequences. Up to now the Austrian government has not requested Community financial aid for the ‘Westspange Wels’ project. The project has not been considered under the structural funds programmes in Austria as the area concerned is not eligible. (1) OJ L 228, 9. 9. 1996. (2) OJ L 228, 23. 9. 1995. (1999/C 348/054) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0254/99 by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission (12 February 1999) Subject: The Spea Autostade project and MonteBeni (Florence) Spea Autostrade recently submitted the final plans for a major project involving the construction of a road link over MonteBeni in the Firenzuola municipality (Florence)