WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/99 by Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) and Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Route of the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Valladolid.
C 219 E/70 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Is the Commission aware of the expert opinion of TÜV Verkehr und Fahrzeug GmbH of April 1998 4. which explicitly states that if the newer generation of recovery vehicles is used (with hydraulic under- carriages) German firms can recover heavy vehicles, safely and with no risk to traffic, if the requirements set out in the expert opinion are complied with? 5. What action is the Commission intending to take against this effective distortion of competition? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (8 December 1999) The Commission is aware that German legislation limits the distance over which recovery vehicles may tow broken down vehicles on German motorways. The Commission has however no knowledge of the treatment of particular non-German breakdown services, in particular of the fact that German embassies grant to non-German firms exceptional licences enabling them to recover vehicles on German motorways over longer distances than generally provided in the relevant German rules. Furthermore, the Commision is not aware of the expert opinion mentioned by the Honourable Member. Nevertheless the Commission considers that if the practices described were to be followed, such decisions by the German authorities to grant more favourable conditions to firms established in Member States other than Germany would not contravene the rules and principles of Community law. Member States are allowed under Community law to apply stricter rules to their nationals or to firms established on their territory. (2000/C 219 E/083) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/99 by Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) and Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (3 November 1999) Subject: Route of the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Valladolid The Spanish authorities will shortly finalise the route of the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Valladolid which is part of the Alta Velocidad del Sur project, one of the 14 priority projects supported by the European Union in the context of trans-European transport networks. More specifically, for the section of the route exiting Madrid, the Ministry of Public Works must choose between the corridor which cuts through the towns of Tres Cantos and Soto del Real, which would involve building a large tunnel through the Guadarrama hills, and the Villalba corridor, which, according to the recently published environmental impact assessment, would involve less cost in both economic and environmental terms since it follows the path of the existing Madrid-Segovia line. In addition, the Spanish government could use the savings resulting from the latter option of improve- ments to an existing line to increase the accessibility of the north and north-west of the Iberian peninsula through investing in the modernisation of other rail links, such as that between Valladolid and Portugal and the Palencia-La Coruæa and León-Gijón lines. This would be the best way to fulfil the criteria and objectives set out in the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund regulations and derive the maximum economic, social and environmental benefit from the project. What is the Commissionís assessment of the possible routes mentioned for the stretch of track in question? Could the Commission enter into talks with the Spanish government in the hope of encouraging it to opt for the route along the Villalba corridor? 1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/71 Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1999) Decisions on final route choices concerning the two possible rail corridors Tres Cantos -Soto del Real and Villalba are a matter for national authorities. Decision No 1692/96/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 23 July 1996 on the Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) (1) includes the indicative layout of the planned high-speed link from Madrid to Valladolid through the corridor Tres Cantos ü Soto del Real. However, alternative routes could be examined in the framework of the revision of the TEN-T guidelines planned in 2000. (1) OJ L 228, 9. 9. 1996. (2000/C 219 E/084) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2030/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (3 November 1999) Subject: Nuclear menace in Europe As a result of a referendum there are no nuclear power-stations in Italy. The dangers resulting from the continuing operation of nuclear power-stations have been highlighted by the recent incident in Japan. The nuclear menace can also affect the regions and people of countries that do not have their own power- stations. Does the Commission have a census of nuclear power-stations in Europe and wholly reliable data on their safety? Have safety parameters been laid down for each power-station and are these ever updated? Could the above information in addition be published? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (11 January 2000) Statistics on Europeís nuclear power stations are published regularly by the International Union of Producers and Distributors of Electrical Energy (Unipede). In addition, various countries maintain databases: in France, for example, the Economic Studies Service of the Strategy and Evaluation Directorate in the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA/DSE/SEE) operates the Elecnucí base, whose principal nuclear power plant data are published annually. Responsibility for nuclear safety lies with the Member State under whose jurisdiction a nuclear installation falls. The State nuclear safety authority has the task of informing the public of the situation at each of the installations it monitors. France, for example, has the monthly journal Contrôle, and the annual report of the Directorate for the safety of nuclear installations