Italy and France Sign Joint Request for EU Funding for Lyon-Turin High Speed LinkItaly and France have made on 16th July, 2007 a joint request for European financing for the Lyon-Turin high speed link. An agreement was signed by the Italian Minister for infrastructure Antonio Di Pietro and the French Minister for ecology, sustainable development and planning Jean-Louis Borloo. The EUR725 million request to the European Commission for the 2007-2013 period, whereof EUR494 million for Italy and EUR231 million for France, is expected to allow construction to start in 2011. Adding both the funds brought about by the French and Italian governments, it is nearly EUR2 billion that will be invested to commence construction of the base tunnel by 2013.The request was sent to the deputy president of the European Commission Jacques Barrot, and Di Pietro travelled to Brussels on 18th July to present the new high speed route in Italy, changed due to fierce opposition in Susa valley. Read E-News Weekly 7/2007. The agreement signed by the two ministers in Rome specifies the new financing modalities, in particular that the higher costs resulting from changes in the route - whether from planning or construction - will be born by Italy, and the planning of the project. Due to the strong opposition to the project in Italy, construction start first scheduled in 2009-2010 has been delayed to 2011 which means that, because of the time frame to complete the project, the entry in service of the line would not become reality before 2022 or 2023. The European Commission will give in September an answer to this subsidy request, which can reach 30% maximum of the project cost during the 2007-2013 period. Of the total EUR12.5 billion needed for the entire international line, EUR2.16 billion is needed during the 2007-2013 period. The two ministers agreed to mandate in the near future the intergovernmental commission on the Lyon-Turin scheme to prepare, on the basis of the agreement just signed, an addendum to the treaty signed in Turin in 2001. Read also E-News Weekly 1/2007, 2/2006, 50/2005, 46/2005, 43/2005, 34/2005, 28/2004, 24/2004 & 20/2004. Click here, here, fr/11 & it/80. Visit www.ecologie.gouv.fr/725-MEUR-de-credits-europeens-pour.html, www.transalpine.com and www.transpadana.org 32/07.