Answer given by Ms Bulc on behalf of the European Commission
29.3.2019
1. The Commission received a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) from the Italian Ministry of Transport. The document has in the meantime been made public on the website of the same Ministry[1].
2. The Commission supports the Lyon-Turin project, in order to develop the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) core network and reduce negative impact of road transport on the society and the environment. This is to be achieved by means of a modern, safe, adequate railway tunnel linking France with Italy as part of the TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor.
EUR 813 million has been committed from EU budget under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014 — 2020 of which EUR 90 million have been paid so far. This resulted from a successful evaluation process in the context of a CEF application call. The Commission expects Italy to continue complying with the CEF Grant Agreement and with the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) Regulation[2].
3. Regarding the current Grant Agreement, in conformity with the CEF Regulation, if the project is not implemented, upon detailed assessment, money may be lost and flow back into the CEF budget. It is too early to define the exact amount that could be claimed back in case of cancellation or withdrawal from the project. This would depend on the timing of this decision and would in any case be subject to a thorough legal analysis.
- [1] http://www.mit.gov.it/comunicazione/news/torinolione-ferrovie-alta-velocita-tav/torino-lione-ultimate-lanalisi-costi
- [2] Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and repealing Decision No 661/2010/EU, OJ L 348, 20.12.2013, p. 1.