WRITTEN QUESTION E-2814/99 by Theodorus Bouwman (Verts/ALE) and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Ijzeren Rijn line trains through the middle of Dutch nature conservancy areas?.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/55 (2000/C 330 E/059) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2814/99 by Theodorus Bouwman (Verts/ALE) and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (18 January 2000) Subject: Ijzeren Rijn line trains through the middle of Dutch nature conservancy areas? Is the Commission aware that the Netherlands Minister of Transport, Tineke Netelenbos, intends to allow goods trains to use the Ijzeren Rijn route? They would permanently be allowed to pass through the Weerterbergen and Budelerbergen habitat areas near Weert and Budel, and could also temporarily transit another habitat area, de Meinweg, near Roermond. Statements to this effect were quoted by the Eindhovens Dagblad and De Limburger on 11 December 1999. Will the Commission call the Netherlands Government to account for its plan to violate European nature conservancy legislation, namely the Habitats Directive, in the Weerterbergen, Budelerbergen and Meinweg areas? If so, when and how? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (14 February 2000) The Commission is not aware of any decision taken by the Dutch authorities to allow the re-opening of the existing route of the Iron Rhine railway line through the Weerterbergen, Budelerbergen and Meinweg area. The Commission has not seen the articles in the newspapers that are mentioned by the Honourable Members. According to the information that the Commission received so far ü i. e. statements of the Dutch prime minister ü the Dutch authorities will make an environmental impact assessment as well as an assessment in line with Article 6(3) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna (1) before the decision about the re-opening of the Iron Rhine railway line will be taken. Furthermore, a trilateral working group has been created, with Belgian and German government representatives, the route. The Commission understands that this working group is now considering commissioning further technical studies of the route, which may be supported by Community funds under the Trans-European networks (TENs) framework. The project to redevelop the Iron-Rhine route has already been allocated € 1 million in TENs funding. to consider the possible redevelopment of The Commission would also refer the Honourable Members to its answer to written question P-1875/99 (2) by Mr de Roo, in which it said that it would ask the Dutch authorities for more information about the re- opening of the Iron Rhine railway line and its implications under the relevant directives, and that it would take no other steps for the present, since it had no indication so far that there had been an infringement of any directive. Subsequent contacts between the Commission and the Dutch authorities indicate no reason for the Commission to change the position that it has taken. (1) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992. (2) OJ C 170 E, 26. 6. 2000, p. 113. (2000/C 330 E/060) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2816/99 by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission (7 January 2000) Subject: Interreg and maritime border regions By including certain maritime border regions in the Annex to the Interreg Guidelines, the Commission accepted that there is value in assisting maritime border regions to work closely under strand A. The Commission does not, however, recognise that other maritime border regions can demonstrate solid grounds for inclusion in Interreg IIIA as the list of eligible regions is presently restricted to regions which benefited from Interreg A funds during the last programming period