Chunnel is top priority
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THE CHANNEL TUNNEL has been chosen by the EEC Com mission as a priority project when Common Market funds are available to invest in large scale transport infrastructure projects, reports our Brussels correspondent.
The European Parliament has already voted a resolution call ing for the creation of an EEC
fund which could be used to help finance a Channel link. (CM,
May 22), and now the Commission has endorsed this idea and wants to spend two million ecus (about £120,000) on a feasibility study.
"Clearly the English Channel is the biggest single obstacle to transport connections within the EEC," a senior EEC official said.
It is now up to member countries to resolve their dispute over how EEC financial aid can be organised. Britain and four other countries favour the idea of a common transport fund as suggested in the Parliament.
West Germany and France and three others believe that existing EEC funds — such as the social and regional funds — should be enlarged and used for the purpose.
Brussels lawyers have now gone as far as drafting a regulation which is now being discussed in the 10 capitals.