92000E0092

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0092/00

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 January 2000)

Subject: High-speed rail link between northern Portugal and Galicia

There have been repeated reports in the Galician media that moves are under way to investigate the possibility of setting up a high-speed railway, following the decision taken by the Northern Portuguese Regional Coordinating Committee and the Galician Government. The Union is providing 50 % of the funding to cover the cost of the necessary study. However, according to the answer given by the Spanish Government in the Congress of Deputies to the BNG (Galician Nationalist Bloc) spokesman, the plans appear to be modest, since the intention is merely to build lines capable of carrying traffic moving no faster than 160 km/h. This information is consistent with other statements by Portuguese government spokesmen to the effect that the latter Government is proposing to relegate the La Coruña to Setúbal high-speed line to a marginal role, focusing exclusively instead on the Oporto to Lisbon line, which links up to Madrid.

Can the Commission confirm the above points and, should they be correct, say why traffic between Galicia and Portugal is to be restricted to such a slow speed? How soon might the work be completed, and when is the railway so vital for the development of both frontier regions likely to come into operation?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0088/00, E-0092/00 and E-0093/00 given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2000)

At the current stage of the thought being given to the revision of the Community approach towards the trans-European transport network Parliament and Council Decision No 1692/96/EC of 23 July 1996(1), the Commission has not been aware of any specific new high-speed projects in Spain. The amounts mentioned by the Honourable Member have, in the main, been set aside for upgrading the

conventional railway lines to Galicia in order to achieve speeds of roughly 200 kilometres per hour (km/h) between Madrid and Monforte de Lemos, and upgrading the conventional lines to Orense and Santiago and towards La Coruna, Vigo et Oporto (Portugal).

As regards the development study of the Vigo-Oporto Atlantic corridor referred to by the Honourable Member, the Commission would confirm that 50 % of the total cost of that study was co-financed in 1999. Its basic aim covered the following two areas: launching transport infrastructure projects in the areas being examined (Galicia and Northern Portugal) while seeking practical joint public/private funding options, and gradually helping to integrate the ground, sea and air transport infrastructure networks, thus guaranteeing the lasting mobility of persons and goods. The results of the study are expected in 2001.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.