• ES - español
  • EN - English
Parliamentary question - E-011663/2013Parliamentary question
E-011663/2013

AVE Antequera-Granada High-Speed Line

Question for written answer E-011663-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Carmen Romero López (S&D)

The Commission, by means of a decision of 24 March 2011, approved the major project ‘Antequera-Granada High-Speed Line. Platform. Phase I’, which, within the framework of the convergence objective, forms part of the operational programme for structural intervention of the European Regional Development Fund for the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Extremadura and Galicia, and of the Cohesion Fund for the entire territory of Spain.

According to Commissioner Hahn’s answer to Question E-005706/2013, the Commission has not received the aid application for phase II of the Antequera-Granada major project, even though 42% of the total expenditure has already been certified. The programming period ends on 31 December 2013 and it is understood that if the Commission decides that the project cannot be subsidised, the certification for this expenditure would have to be withdrawn.

This answer from the European Commissioner for Regional Policy regarding the status of phase II of the Antequera-Granada major project is exceedingly alarming given how close the deadline is for submitting the plans and considering that the Spanish Ministry of Development has announced its intention to make significant changes to this high-speed line’s route and platform over an 18 km stretch passing through Loja (Granada) and to its terminus in the city of Granada, where underground works and the route’s arrival into the site of the current railway station were planned.

Has Spain submitted the plans for Phase II of the Antequera-Granada high-speed line major project to the European Commission, so that it can receive the co-financing provided for in the Community support framework 2007-2013?

OJ C 218, 10/07/2014