The Institutional Round Table of 3 May 2011 in Rome, to which the Honourable Members refer, was an internal meeting held by the Italian Government on which the Commission cannot comment.

As regards the new railway link Lyon-Turin, the Commission has been noting with satisfaction the efforts undertaken by the Italian Government and its Commissioner Mario Virano over the past years in order to communicate the benefits of this major infrastructure project. In the light of the progress made in seeking support for the project from the local population the Commission welcomes the decision of the Italian authorities to start the works on the geognostic tunnel La Maddalena in the coming weeks. The details of these works are an internal Italian matter on which the Commission does not wish to comment.

OJ C 365 E, 15/12/2011