(2004/C 78 E/0622)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3559/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) and Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(1 December 2003)

Subject:   Groningen Rail Service Centre and non-use of cross-border railway line near Nieuweschans to Northern Germany

Why is an EU-funded transhipment station, the Groningen Rail Service Centre, not being used for direct freight transport from and to Northern Germany, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, with the result that unnecessary detours are being made, the railways are not being put to optimal use and no favours are being done to the environment, either?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 January 2004)

The Groningen Rail Service Centre handles approximately 100 000 Twenty foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) per year, and new investments are planned to further develop rail services linking Groningen to the Rotterdam area and other Member States. Growth is notably expected from freight traffic on the so-called Northern corridor, which links the Rotterdam port area with Northern Germany and Scandinavia. The market for freight transport by rail has been opened by Directive 91/440/EEC (1) as amended by Directive 2001/12/EC (2), which provides that freight transport over the Trans European Rail Freight Network (TERFN) shall be opened by 15 March 2003 at the latest to all railway undertakings in possession of a European licence awarded under the framework conditions set by Directive 95/18/EC, as amended by Directive 2001/13/EC (3), and provided the railway undertakings possess the required safety certificates for the countries where rail services are planned. Any railway undertaking that sees an opportunity to operate services on those links can do so. Groningen is located on the TERFN. Within this context though, it must be observed that Directive 91/440/EC, as amended, requires railway undertakings to be managed according to the principles which apply to commercial undertakings.

The development of the Groningen Rail Service Center has been part of priority 1 (Industry, business services and tourism), as set out in the Single Programming Document (SPD) for the Objective 2 areas of Groningen-Drenthe in the Netherlands approved by the Commission in 1997. The contribution from the structural funds for this priority in the 1997-1999 period was 32,4 % (EUR 74,25 million).

(1)  Directive 91/440/EEC of 29 July 1991 on the development of the Community's railways, OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.

(2)  Directive 2001/12/EC of 26 February 2001 of the Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001 amending Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways, OJ L 75, 15.3.2001.

(3)  Directive 2001/13/EC of 26 February 2001 of the Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2001 amending Council Directive 95/18/EC on the licensing of railway undertakings, OJ L 75, 15.3.2001.