The situation regarding the Frejus Railway, unavailable since August 2023 due to a landslide on the French section, is landing on the desks of the European Commission (EC). Various Italian MEPs are presenting two Parliamentary questions to the Commission concerning the closure of the line and its (negative) impact on Italy.
The first one asks for the EC to get in touch with the national governments of France and Italy “to increase the level of attention on the problem”. The second one asks for more clarity regarding the reopening date and possible compensation tools for operators. The two Parliamentary questions come days after the reopening date of the Frejus Railway was moved from autumn 2024 to the first quarter of 2025.
Parliamentary questions from left and right
The first Parliamentary question is led by Pier Francesco Maran, from the EU’s leftist Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and the Italian Democratic Party (PD). The document is co-signed by 12 other PD members. This, Maran said, is a “detriment on the long run because it might push even more freight to the road in a structural way, given the momentary difficulties for rail”. Moreover, Maran criticised Matteo Salvini, the Italian Ministry of Transport and leader of the right-wing League party for not paying enough attention to the problem.
On the other hand, MEPs affiliated with Salvini’s party are the ones presenting the second Parliamentary question to the EC. The group is stressing that freight transport across the Alps, both by road or rail is being seriously threatened. For example, the Mont Blanc tunnel, an important road axis between France and Italy, will be closed for 15 weeks between September and December. In addition, the situation at the Gotthard, leading into Switzerland, will not be fixed for another three weeks.