Aarhus, 29/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission will not be suspending its financial support for the rail tunnel through the Alps to connect up Lyons in France with Turin in Italy. France and Italy finally managed to reach agreement on Wednesday 28 September 2011 on the division of costs following months of deadlock and delays to the construction work following popular discontent in Italy. The Commission will bear the remaining 30% of the costs of the infrastructure project and the remainder will be split equally between the two countries. The rail link is an important project to ensure more sustainable transport in Europe because it connects Eastern Europe by rail with Western Europe (Lisbon-Kiev), and should reduce heavy goods vehicles congestion in the French and Italian Alps. French EPP MEP Michel Dantin said it was a key event for the Alps because the Lyons-Turin rail line will be an economic and ecological success story. Dantin hails from the Savoie region of France and is a member of the EP's Transport Committee. (MD/transl.fl)