Question no 44 by Ignasi Guardans Cambó (H-0694/06)

Subject: Delay in construction of Perpignan-Montpellier high-speed rail link

As indicated by the Essen European Council, Decision No 1692/96/EC⁽⁾ and the 'van Miert group', the Commission has included among the 30 priority projects for the trans-European transport networks the high-speed rail link Lisbon-Madrid-Barcelona-Perpignan-Montpellier. Decision No 884/2004/EC⁽⁾ establishes that work on the Perpignan-Montpellier line should be completed in 2015. Recently, France has said that it will postpone completion of the line until 2030. By allowing France to treat this public works project as an internal matter, the EU would be consenting in a non-integrated model for the Member States' railway systems, thus placing obstacles on the mobility of passengers and goods.

Has the Commission received any official communication from the French government modifying the calendar for the Perpignan-Montpellier high-speed link? What is its position on the proposed delay? What measures will it take to ensure that Union-level decisions concerning major infrastructures are not ignored by a Member State attempting to protect its supposed interests, to the detriment of its neighbours?