Brussels, 28/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - In an interview published on Saturday by Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore, Philippe Maystadt indicated that an immediate impact on economic growth was not to be expected on the Italian Presidency's programme of major infrastructure projects. "We must not expect a short-time impact on economic growth, because these are projects that will take years", said the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), who stressed the need to "make choices" amongst the projects. He also stated that the European Commission was to present a new list of priorities this autumn. Talking of the cost of some of these projects, Mr Maystadt estimated that "some major projects like the Lyon-Turn (a rail link that will entail the- expensive- drilling of a new tunnel through the Alps: Ed) need to mobilise public capital to attract private investors, which means that the governments involved must stump up funds whilst respecting the stability pact". He also said that the rule of a maximum state deficit of 3% of GDP "must remain our fire-break, as we have the problem of the ageing population to think about".