Funds for the Vigo-Oporto high-speed rail link

3.9.2014

Question for written answer E-006533-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
José Blanco López (S&D)

In recent months, and particularly since the agreements of the 25th Spain-Portugal Summit, there has been a flow of information and statements by leading politicians in both countries that would seem to suggest construction of the high-speed rail link between Vigo and Oporto is unlikely.

Statements by Portugal's Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Sérgio Silva Monteiro, were particularly clear in this respect. He said that the plan to connect the two cities had been ‘completely abandoned; this is an irreversible decision’.

However, given that the European Union has set aside EUR 244 million from EU funds for both the preliminary studies on the planned high-speed rail link and its construction, clarification is now needed on what will happen to this money.

Has the Commission, therefore, been notified that this plan has either been suspended, altered, postponed or permanently abandoned? Has it been asked to reassign the funds set aside by the EU? If so, has this been approved? Is it possible for funds to be reassigned in this way? Is it possible that the EU funds may be lost if this rail link is not built as originally planned?