WRITTEN QUESTION No. 86/99 by Manuel ESCOLÁ HERNANDO Private sector funding for the Madrid-Saragossa-Barcelona stretch of the high-speed railway
3. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 348/21 (1999/C 348/025) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0086/99 by Manuel Escolá Hernando (ARE) to the Commission (27 January 1999) Subject: Private sector funding for the Madrid-Saragossa-Barcelona stretch of the high-speed railway In its communication on public-private partnerships in trans-European transport network projects, the Commission identifies the stretch of the high-speed railway linking Madrid, Saragossa and Barcelona as a candidate for funding through a PPP (public-private partnership), whereby funding for the project would be opened up to the private sector. In practical terms, such an arrangement could mean completing construction work ahead of schedule and opening the stretch earlier than originally planned, insofar as the implementation of the project would not be dependent solely on the availability of funding from state budgets. Has the Commission taken any action in this regard? Has the Spanish Government signalled to the Commission any interest in implementing such an arrangement, involving cooperation on the project between the public and private sectors? Has the Commission examined the possibility of extending arrangements of this kind to projects linking the transport networks in the various Member States other than the fourteen which have been given priority, such as road or rail projects to ease travel through the Pyrenees? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (19 April 1999) In the Commission’s communication to the Council and Parliament on public-private partnerships (PPP) in trans-European transport network (TETN) projects (1) a number of projects were identified as potential PPPs. They included projects which were not on the list of fourteen that were given priority for development under the TETNs framework. The Commission continues to discuss these projects with Member States, as it undertook to do, and to encourage government to consider the application of a PPP approach to infrastructure projects wherever possible and suitable. There has, so far, been no request submitted by the Spanish authorities for co-financing from the TEN’s budget or other city funds of a project involving a public-private partnership. (1) COM(97) 453 final. (1999/C 348/026) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0104/99 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (2 February 1999) Subject: Joint Relex Service In reply to my earlier Written Question (E-3236/98) (1) about late payments by the Commission, particularly for work carried out under PHARE and TACIS contracts, the Commission stated that, ‘the new Joint Relex Service. has undertaken to review the financial structure of and payment plans for technical assistance contracts and to align procedures and methods for drawing up technical assistance programmes. ’ 1. What progress has been made in this area since 1 September 1998 and what timetable is envisaged for the implementation of the improvements identified by the review? 2. Will the review examine blockages which delay payments throughout the payment process?