Brussels, 19/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - A Franco-Italian inter-governmental committee is expected, on Tuesday 20 December, to finalise a budget agreement for the construction of the rail line linking Lyons in France and Turin in Italy. Under the expected agreement on the first phase of the rail tunnel, Italy will bear 57.9% of the costs and France 42.1%. The likely cost of the line is put at between €15 and €20 billion, to which the European Union will make a contribution as this link is crucial to the trans-European transport network. As Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas told press on Monday morning 19 December, the extent of the European contribution cannot be determined until France and Italy reach agreement. Construction of a high-speed rail line which would reduce the journey time between the two cities by three hours was agreed in 2001. However, significant delays, because of disagreements between the two countries on budgetary issues and demonstrations, have meant the project has yet to see the light of day. At the start of December 2011, demonstrations, mainly on the Italian side of the border, made it all too apparent just how unpopular the plans are. AFP reports that dozens of demonstrators prevented regional and high-speed trains in Italy on 11 December, in protest at the cost of the work and the deleterious impact on the environment and the scenery. (MD/transl.rt)