Question for written answer E-005452/2018 to the Commission Rule 130 Rosa D'Amato (EFDD)

Subject: Regional Road 8 - Puglia

Regional Road 8, the artery that will connect Talsano (TA) to Avetrana (TA), provides for the construction of a new two-way road, parallel to the road ‘Litoranea Ionico – Salentina’. It will help to streamline traffic and allow easier and faster connections between the port and .

The first section has already been financed, for the amount of EUR 42 985 368.48, of which EUR 29 230 051 was allocated from the PUGLIA ERDF ROP 2007/20131.

In September 2016, with the ‘Pact for Puglia’, financing of EUR 193 million from the Development and Cohesion Fund (DCF) 2014/2020 to construct the three sections of the Talsano-Avetrana internal coastal road was approved. The investment was allocated as follows: EUR 70 600 000 for the construction of section 1, from Talsano to Marina di ; EUR 51 800 000 for the construction of section 2, from Marina di Pulsano to the roundabout; EUR 70 600 000 for the construction of section 3, from the Manduria roundabout to the junction with SP 359 Avetrana-Nardò.

The Director of Works has complained about the lengthy bureaucratic and technical delays in regulating disturbances in the existing sewerage and electrical systems2.

Can the Commission:

1) say whether the regional authorities have withdrawn the project relating to the first section of the road from the 2007-2013 Puglia ROP?

2) verify that the works are being carried out in compliance with Directive 2014/24/EU?

1 https://opencoesione.gov.it/it/progetti/1pufe5200195/ 2 https://www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/news//1050557/tangenziale-a-taranto-il-cantiere-va- sottacqua.html

1167252.EN PE 629.847