Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they support the aims and objectives of the European Commission's proposed Marco Polo programme, designed to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail or water transport. [HL5904]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe UK is committed to achieving an efficient and environmentally sustainable transport system, which is also the broad objective of the Marco Polo programme.
The UK has succeeded in ensuring that the draft regulation makes an explicit link between the granting of aid and the attainment of measurable environmental objectives, that aid is subject to strict competitive safeguards and is finite in amount and duration. On this basis, the UK supports the programme.
Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they support the budget proposed by the European Commission for the Marco Polo programme of Euro 115 million for the period 2003–07 for the whole European Union; whether they consider this sufficient to achieve a meaningful modal shift; and, if not, what budget figure is supported by the United Kingdom Government. [HL5905]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe majority of member states were unable to accept either the European Commission's proposal for a €115 million budget for the first five years or a previous Presidency compromise of €85 million. At the Transport Council earlier this month, the current Presidency proposed a further compromise of €65 million. All member states accepted this final effort, but the Commission could not. Marco Polo has been returned to COREPER.
The Government believe the latest Presidency compromise figure to be sufficient to achieve meaningful and measurable modal shift, subject to strict competitive safeguards.