WRITTEN QUESTION E-1438/99 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Integration of Galicia into the trans-European high-speed rail network.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/15 Under the terms of Council Regulation (EC) 1164/94 of 16 May 1994 establishing a Cohesion Fund (1), the Fund exclusively assists investment in transport infrastructure and environmental protection. The Cohesion Fund does not therefore assist the sectors mentioned by the Honourable Member. (1) OJ L 130, 25. 5. 1994. (2000/C 170 E/015) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1438/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Integration of Galicia into the trans-European high-speed rail network It is obvious that Galicia, like any other European region ü above all given its visible history of marginalisation in the construction of the transport network of the Spanish state ü needs to be integrated into the trans-European high-speed rail network. However, there appears to be no provision for this in the technical forecasts and budgets under the plan for the trans-European rail network up to 2010. Should this be the case, Galician society would, once again, find itself lagging behind in historical terms, as it did with the building of the motorway links with the rest of the peninsula and Europe and, in the more distant past, with the construction of the original national rail network. It is essential that action is taken to forestall any such marginalisation. In this connection, can the Commission state how matters stand as regards the integration of Galicia into the deadlines and budget forecasts in respect of the plan for the trans-European rail network up to 2010? Can the Commission also state what proposals have been submitted to the EU by the Spanish state? (2000/C 170 E/016) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1440/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Linking of Galicia and Portugal by a high-speed train network (1 September 1999) Can the Commission state what the current in terms of time-schedules and budgets, concerning the construction of a high-speed train network to link Galicia and Portugal along the route Lisbon-Porto-Vigo-Santiago-Corunna-Ferrol, given the major economic importance of this transfrontier region, which, with its 14 million inhabitants, occupies a substantial part of the European Atlantic seaboard? forecasts are, Joint answer to Written Questions E-1438/99 and E-1440/99 given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (11 October 1999) Decision No 1692/0096/EC of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (1) contains in its annexes maps showing, for information purposes only, the links and nodes of this network based on how it should look in 2010. As far as the high-speed section is concerned, a distinction is drawn between lines already in service in 1996 and lines that are still in the early or more advanced stages of design. the European Parliament and of With specific reference to Galicia, it is true that at the time when these guidelines were being developed no actual high-speed project, either towards Portugal or towards central Spain, was under scrutiny. However, the 1996 maps do show details of a project followed by a conventional line to Galicia, as well as details in Spain of a redevelopment project envisaging speeds of the order of 200 kilometres per hour (km/h) from Valladolid almost as far as Orense, followed also by a conventional line to Orense and Santiago. from Lisbon to Oporto, in Portugal,