WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3157/98 by Felipe CAMISÓN ASENSIO to the Commission. Situation of Castelo Branco vis-à-vis priority project No 8 of the Transeuropean Transport Network
21. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 142/97 Under the risk sharing global loans the EIB makes funds available to partners from the European banking community to support SME activities under their own responsibility. The risk involved in these financing operations is shared by the EIB with the respective partner institution. The loan cited in the question is part of ten operations totalling ECU 277,8 million already concluded with institutions of nine Member States. At the same time, the EIB has allocated ECU 125 million to the European technology facility (ETF) managed on its behalf by the European investment fund (EIF), to provide venture and equity capital to funds or venture capital companies which specialise in equity for SMEs in their early start-up phase or in expansion. Some ten participations are expected to leverage about ECU 500 million for SMEs. The risks associated with these instruments are offset by drawing on up to ECU 1 000 million from EIB operating surpluses over the period 1997-2000. In addition, the Luxembourg growth and employment initiative sponsored by the Parliament covered the setting up of financial instruments financed by the Community budget (ECU 420 million for the period 1998-2001) for innovative and job-creating SMEs. These instruments include a risk-capital facility (ETF start-up) managed by the EIF and targeted at the establishment and early stage of SMEs, a scheme on financial contributions for the establishment of transnational joint ventures (Joint European venture) and a SME guarantee facility managed by the EIF to increase the availability of loans to newly established enterprises. Both initiatives aim to facilitate access to finance for job-creating SMEs, but differences exist, mainly in the risk approach (generally speaking, the Luxembourg initiative has a higher risk profile) and in the choice of intermediary institutions. The finance instruments of the Luxembourg initiative and the ASAP measures are distinct but complementary. (1999/C 142/118) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3157/98 by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE) to the Commission (19 October 1998) Subject: Situation of Castelo Branco vis-à-vis priority project No 8 of the Transeuropean Transport Network The 14 priority projects of the Transeuropean Transport Network designated at Essen include the multimodal link between Portugal/Spain and the rest of Europe (No 8). With regard to the motorway section Lisboa to Valladolid, can the Commission say whether the route will pass near the Portuguese city of Castelo-Branco? What is the current state of affairs as regards the corresponding construction works? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (26 November 1998) The Commission understands that the Portuguese authorities no longer plan to build a motorway on the Portuguese section of the main Lisbon-Valladolid road, which is part of the second Lisbon-Irun corridor of project No 8, (multimodal link from Portugal and Spain to the rest of Europe) (1) designed to balance investments between road and rail. However, the Portuguese authorities are currently carrying out improvement work on the existing road, in particular the Guarda-Covilhã and Covilhã-Castelo-Branco sections. (1) OJ C 120, 18. 4. 1998