92000E2274

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2274/00

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Construction of the high-speed Rome-Naples railway line and laying of a second Rome-Lunghezza FM2 track

Is the Commission aware of the alarming and discriminatory situation to which the construction of the high-speed Rome-Naples railway line and laying of a second Rome-Lunghezza FM2 track could give rise, to the detriment of the people who will have to live right next to railway lines along which it is planned that some 300 trains a day will travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h?

How does it intend to address the problems affecting the future quality of life in whole districts of Rome?

How does it intend to ensure compliance with the relevant EU directives?

What action will it take to protect these areas in terms of town planning?

Finally, how does the Commission intend to ensure, just before work starts on the La Rustica-Rome stretch, that there will be no discrepancies in the provision of assistance and no unequal treatment in relation to the hundreds of citizens affected, who all live in comparable districts?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2000)

With reference to the project mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission would stress that it does not have competence either for the protection of town areas in terms of town planning or for preventing discrepancies in the provision of assistance and unequal treatment to citizens living in comparable districts.

The Commission has the task of ensuring the correct application of Community law, in the light of the powers conferred on it by the EC Treaty. As the guardian of the EC Treaty, it does not hesitate to take all necessary measures, including infringement proceedings under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty, in order to ensure the observance of Community law.

In the specific case, Community directives on environmental impact assessment (Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment(1) and Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, amending Directive 85/337/EEC(2)) constitute the possibly relevant Community law. The Commission assesses the situation on this legal basis.

The issue concerning the correct application of directives on environmental impact assessment in relation to the project mentioned by the Honourable Member has been already dealt with by the Commission in 1997/1998. Since the Honourable Member's Written Question does not contain any new relevant element, he is kindly requested to refer to the reply given by the Commission to Written Question E-578/98 by Mrs Angelilli(3).

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) OJ C 386, 17.12.1998.