Proposition 53K1839

Proposition de résolution relative à la promotion du projet Euro Carex au niveau européen et à la désignation du premier ministre pour représenter la Belgique en ce qui concerne ce dossier.

General information ¶

Authors

Ecolo Muriel Gerkens
LE Christophe Bastin
MR Daniel Bacquelaine
PS | SP Anthony Dufrane, André Frédéric, Linda Musin

Submission date

Oct. 25, 2011

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

carriage of goods resolution of parliament high-speed transport rail transport

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP ∉ Open Vld N-VA LDD MR

Abstained from voting

VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Feb. 16, 2012 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

The Euro Carex project aims to use high-speed lines for the transport of non-weight goods across Europe in a perspective of protecting the environment and promoting sustainable mobility. It is part of the line of the Transport White Paper advocating the development of competitive and energy-efficient transport.

Through this text, it was important that our Infrastructure Commission is proactive and voluntary in this area, where Belgium has a key role to play from its strategic position at the very heart of the network via Liège Carex.

Our Group supports this proposal as well as the Euro Carex project in which the State Secretary for Mobility is investing very concretely in the context of the Danish Presidency of the European Union, which has made the trans-European transport network and the Connecting Europe Facility its priority.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Secretary of State, dear colleagues, with this proposed resolution, we wanted to send a strong signal to both railroads and companies. Yes, rail freight has a future! Yes, Belgium must be able to make the most of its exceptional geographical position at the heart of logistical Europe!

High-speed rail freight is an opportunity that we cannot neglect. This is why we must be the engine of the development of Euro Carex, especially its development to Germany and therefore, the opening to the East.

As with the Iron Rhine, we want to be proactive and unite all available forces so that Liège Carex quickly becomes operational at the heart of the trans-European express freight network that will eventually connect Germany with Spain through Italy and Great Britain.

I would like to thank all my colleagues in the committee for their support.

Mr. President, colleagues, Mrs. Musin explained the importance of this resolution. She knows that this resolution is consistent with the resolution submitted by the Flemish parties – with the exception of one that was not allowed – concerning the Iron Rhine. Mr Musin, we hold our word and we will support your resolution later in the vote. A word is a word.

We therefore hope that the effect of this resolution will not be neglected. After all, a few months ago, at this meeting, an identical resolution was adopted in connection with the railway route requested by a large part of Flanders. However, from several questions asked by Mr. Luykx to Prime Minister Di Rupo, it shows that there is still no real shot in this case. I therefore trust that in relation to your own resolution you will do the necessary follow-up work with the people from your own party who will be responsible for it. I expect that you will hold your word and that you will insist on the Prime Minister that he, along with the Euro Carex file, also take the Iron Rhine file. Both projects are important for the country’s economy.

Whoever thought that the waffle iron policy had been abolished, is mistaken. Apparently, there is still marshalling. I think that, among other things, colleague Schoofs here in the past was justified for the Iron Rhine, but apparently one stood in French-speaking Belgium or Wallonia on his back legs, because it can not be that a typical Flemish file would be represented without that a Waals file would be linked to it.

I find it a little strange that even the N-VA is accompanied by that logic. We have noticed in the past, firstly, how often appointments from Wallonia were not honored and, secondly, what the cost plate of it was. The waffle iron policy was very nefast and as this file is brought here at the level of the Belgian economic interests, whoever makes a little effort to dig deeper into it already immediately that especially Wallonia, the Wallonian companies and in particular the airport of Luik, the stakeholders are.

We can always say that what is good for the country – if we think in waffle iron terms – is also good for Flanders. That is possible, but it would then make sense to make the necessary efforts to enable the return for Flanders. From the text as presented today, it is clear that all attention is focused on the economic developments in Wallonia. In the text I find no indication that there would be ambitions to continue the current offer...

Mr. Veys, I try to follow your way of thinking, but it does not seem to me logical, in the sense that effectively at the moment we talked about the Iron Rhine, we talked about the importance for the port of Antwerp, the interests of the Kempen and the north of Limburg that could be linked to it. At that moment, the PS took part in it, for whatever reason. I also talked about submitting a file to prioritize what you think is important in the discussion.

Let us bear in mind: what are we talking about? We are not talking about an investment plan, but about the fact that finally within this government someone is authorized as the only one to record a particular file abroad, to finally create clarity to foreign partners about who is now the respondent. However, today, together with you, we note that today Mr. Di Rupo has already delegated another piece and again mist is sprayed. Therefore also my call to support this resolution, so that the seriousness that the PS will show to follow its own resolution will also be used to follow our own resolution. We will see afterwards how it will go.

Finally, in the interest of the country or not, Mr. Veys, why should we oppose that a region wants to advocate a certain investment at European level? That seems to me jealous, as if you do not promote a part of the country, rather than worry about what is needed.

Colleague Vandeput, you blame me for unclearness and you apparently have trouble understanding my logic. I also do not understand your logic. The past proves that Flanders always pays the bill and that the deloyauteit was always found in Wallonia.

When we talk about loyalty, colleagues, it is still remarkable that a major economic hub such as Brussels Airport is not involved in this air rail project. There is also no intention to do so in the future.

I would like to point out the text itself of the authors of this resolution. I quote: “The realization of this extremely fast network is of essential importance for Belgium, which, due to its strategic central location in this network, has an unparalleled opportunity to expand its logistical assets through the transport of goods by rail.”

Then I wonder where the crucial role of Brussels Airport lies. Apparently it is only intended to further develop the interests of the Luik airport. I think this is a missed opportunity.

I am surprised that N-VA does not advocate for this.

Mr Veys, if you submit an amendment to include Brussels Airport in the story, I will fully support that.

I have not heard this plea from you. You approved this resolution without any comment in the committee. Now you suddenly join the criticism I have also expressed in the committee that it is a unilateral resolution. The Waals Region is then in this the best partner to defend and defend this dossier. I wish them all success in the development of this initiative, but I do not want them to use this to market: we the Iron Rhine and they the Euro Carex dossier. That waffle iron policy has always proved nefarious in the past and will continue to be so today. We will therefore abstain from voting.

My speech will coincide with the previous ones. If we have responded to the invitation to co-sign this text, it is because it is obvious that we must support the European development of rail freight network. The project in question is under consideration. There is still uncertainty about how it will be implemented. We know that there are difficulties in granting public procurement and that it is not the role of politics to interfere between different producers. Similarly, studies on the choice of equipment must be completed.

It is important that the prime minister serves as relays and that he takes his pilgrimage stick to convince Germany to participate in a joint project allowing the transport of express goods by rail. This project must obviously be compatible with the other rail lines that cross the countries of the European Union, but we do not definitively fix the trajectory or stops.

The aim is to replace rail transportation by air and sometimes even by road, which has implications in terms of pollution, health and cost for the budget of companies and the state.

That is why we support this resolution. Please note that for our part we have no intention of trading.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it clear that this is not a Flemish, Wallon or even Belgian project, but a European project. Without a European dimension, this project would have no interest. Everyone agrees on this point.

The transport of goods by high-speed train, i.e. through a mode of transport that is highly competitive compared to other means of transport that are significantly more energy-efficient, seems to me essential.

It happens that the Carex reference point for Belgium is in Liège. In France, there is one in Paris and Lyon. In Holland, it is found in Amsterdam and in England, in London. Whether you like it or not, the trajectories will have to take into account the reference points as they are planned. This is not definitive. Points are planned in Spain, Germany and Eastern Europe, hence the importance of this project for the entire Belgian market. In any case, with respect to the European countries located more east, this project is ⁇ important in terms of imports and exports. He needs to get our support.

In any case, I am pleased that the Prime Minister will invest in this. Indeed, it must be acknowledged – they will again accuse me of polemic – that the Walloon Region has been largely deficient in this matter.

She failed to fulfill her most basic duties, in particular in the impact of the files and the Euro Carex project on the European institutions.

I hope, therefore, that with the investment of the Prime Minister, the Wallonian friends will also feel concerned by the importance of this project.