Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-02-07-Speech-4-233"
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"en.20020207.14.4-233"2
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".
Mr President, the Commission is worried about the fall in rail freight due to security problems at the SNCF station. This situation is having an adverse impart on the distribution of freight transport services between the modes of transport on this important route. This is damaging rail transport and runs counter to the Commission's collective view of the role of rail transport, as set out in the White Paper presented in September 2001.
The partial suspension of rail traffic through the Tunnel is reducing the use made of its potential and, as a consequence, the return on the investment in this vital European transport infrastructure. The Commission has been fully apprised of the situation since it emerged in November. In application of Regulation No 2679/98 on the free movement of goods, the Commission services asked the French authorities to take all the necessary measures to restore the smooth flow of traffic back in November. They also asked for regular reports on developments in the situation.
According to our most recent information, the situation has improved slightly. The police are patrolling the area, rail capacity has been increased, where possible, from 1,200 to 1,600 tonnes. Work on the Frethun freight terminal started in December and a reinforced fence is expected to be completed at the beginning of February. Security installations on the site, such as video cameras and heat detectors, will be in place by the end of June. Contacts with the French authorities will be maintained, Commissioner Bolkestein has suggested meeting his French and British counterparts and the ministers responsible for the internal market in order to discuss the matter on the fringe of the next Market Council on 1 March. Our objective is to restore the free movement of goods by June at the latest, once all the work on the terminal has been completed.
My last comment refers to asylum and external border controls. The policy of the Union and the Member States on asylum and external border controls is also in jeopardy. The Commission believes that approving harmonised rules will help stop certain Member States from being more attractive than others and it has already tabled proposals along these lines."@en1
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