Alpine nations agree ban on major trans-Alpine road construction

The executive branch of the Alpine Convention group of nations has agreed a ban on the construction of major trans-Alpine roads. The transport protocol will now be presented to member states for ratification.

The executive branch of the Alpine Convention group of nations has agreed a ban on the construction of major trans-Alpine roads. The transport protocol will now be presented to member states for ratification.

The agreement came as part of a three-day conference in the Swiss resort of Interlaken, where delegates from Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, France, Switzerland and the European Union discussed how to reconcile environmental protection and economic development in the Alps.

The most controversial issue at the talks — chaired by Arthur Mohr of the Swiss Federal Environment Agency — was the construction of major roads crossing the Alps to link northern and southern European regions.

The newly-agreed accord now bans the construction of such North-South traffic routes, according to Felix Näscher, who heads the working committee which drafted the transport protocol.

However, Näscher admits that, in exceptional cases, road construction will still be allowed to go ahead – if the environmental impact is considered acceptable.

Already in the run-up to the conference, Mohr had called for a “flexible solution” and implementation of the protocol in order not to stifle agricultural, forestry and tourism operations in mountain regions.

“It’s important to discuss now how to start the translation of the (transport) protocol into concrete action,” Mohr said, referring to the process of national ratification.

The Alpine Convention countries have signed a number of protocols, pledging to harmonise and coordinate measures to protect Alpine regions.

Declared areas of mutual interest are: Anti-pollution measures for soil, water and air; sustainable economic development of mountain areas, ways of promoting environment friendly tourism and traffic policies.

From staff and wire reports.