PresidioEuropa.net

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.htm

[2] Sovvenzione di € 671.800.000 (Francia € 234.599.988 – Italia € 437.200.012 per studi e lavori da effettuare nel periodo 1° gennaio 2007 – 31 dicembre 2013) a fronte di un valore totale dei lavori di € 2.091.192.000, cfr. nota 6.

[3] Re:Common http://www.recommon.org/

[4] Convenzioone di Aarhus : http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/documents/cep43ital.pdf

   http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/documents/cep43e.pdf

[5] Articolo 15 (ex articolo 255 del TCE)

1. Al fine di promuovere il buon governo e garantire la partecipazione della società civile, le istituzioni, gli organi e gli organismi dell’Unione operano nel modo più trasparente possibile.

… 3. Qualsiasi cittadino dell’Unione e qualsiasi persona fisica o giuridica che risieda o abbia la sede sociale in uno Stato membro ha il diritto di accedere ai documenti delle istituzioni, organi e organismi dell’Unione, a prescindere dal loro supporto, secondo i principi e alle condizioni da definire a norma del presente paragrafo. …

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:115:0047:0199:it:PDF

[6] C 2008 77 33 F IT DECISIONE DELLA COMMISSIONE CONTRIBUTO FINANZIARIO 672,8

[7] http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/it/home.faces

No TAV Movement

Media Release

June 4 2013

 Citizens and associations continue their vigil against any waste of

public funds at a national and European level

 The European Commission keeps its mouth shut over where Turin-Lyon financing went 

A complaint has been filed with the European Ombudsman for maladministration

The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission[1] does not want to release how European funding[2] for the realization of the new Lyon-Turin high-speed railway line was utilized.[3]

Numerous written requests have been sent to the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission in the last six months by the organization Re:Common[4] to know the details of which studies and processes were paid for with EU funds and thus, European taxpayers. 

The European Commission has negated any willingness to disseminate the information it possesses affirming quote the document requested originates from third parties … who do not intend to render them public and … we do not consider that there is an overriding public interest in disclosure. unquote

Subsequently, spurred by the persistent requests, and also because of the lack of respect displayed towards the principles contained in the Convention of Aarhus[5] on access to information, at the end of 2012 the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission communicated the value of the amount given to Italy to date (53,106,000 Euros) without entering into the details.

With regards to the European funds the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission specified that quote it is a bilateral issue addressed by the two Member States (France and Italy, editor’s note), without the involvement of the Commission unquote in effect washing its hands of the issue and denying any supervisory role.

By adopting this mode of conduct the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission has violated Article 15 of the Treaty[6] which addresses EU performance and according to which the Commission must answer for its actions to citizens who have the right to know how their money is utilized.

More specifically, the General Conditions of Funding Decisions[7] of 2008 foresee that requests regarding payments must be substantiated by technical reports and financial reports, along with information on contracts, sub-contracts and possible studies conducted regarding the project. It is, therefore, impossible that the European Commission should be unaware of how Member States Italy and France have utilized European funds. 

Its refusal to render this information public violates the principles of the Convention of Aarhus regarding access to environmental information and deprives citizens of data regarding the destination of European funds. 

“Let’s remember that the Turin-Lyon is, as defined by the No TAV movement, an Useless and Imposed Mega-project which is opposed by the majority of Municipalities in Susa Valley, therefore, we assert that it is clearly in the public interest to have access to all the information related to the project,” declared Paolo Prieri of the PresidioEuropa Committee of the No TAV Movement.

“Instead of discouraging citizen participation, the European Commission should adopt a neutral position regarding a pillar of European regulations and the rules of the Convention of Aarhus, with this attitude it contributes to the opaque nature of the Turin-Lyon initiative,” added      Caterina Amicucci of Re:Common.

To defend their rationale, Re:Common along with No TAV PresidioEuropa have filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman[8], which has the role of investigating complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union and they hope that the case will be examined in a rapid and in-depth manner.

Citizens and associations continue their vigil against any waste of public funds at a national and European level.