Corporate structure

The Gruppo Europeo di Interesse Economico del Traforo del Monte Bianco (GEIE-TMB), uniquely a management structure, was established at the same time as the implementation of the tunnel’s renovation and modernisation programme, which finished in 2002. It is a French-Italian structure under Community law, the statutes of which were lodged by the ATMB (the concessionary company of the motorway on the French side of the tunnel) and the SITMB (the concessionary company of the motorway on the Italian side of the tunnel) on May 18th, 2000 at the Aosta Valley’s Chamber of Commerce. It has its registered office in Courmayeur, at the Italian tunnel entrance apron, and it has a well-established organization on French soil.
The GEIE-TMB collects the tolls on behalf of both statutory companies; it is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the tunnel and for its outbuildings, as well as the security and management of traffic. Finally, it assures, on behalf of SITMB and ATMB, the project management of maintenance work and the improvement of the infrastructure and equipment.

An intergovernmental commission (IGC), consisting of representatives from French and Italian ministries, establishes the general orientation of the Tunnel and defines its management policy; it was the IGC which approved the programme of renovation and modernisation. The commission is assisted by a security committee, comprised of experts who are consulted on all the questions relative to the security of the work and its exploitation.
The GEIE-TMB is governed by a Supervisory Board made up of 10 members, including the Chairman, named jointly by the two concessionary Companies ATMB and SITMB. The chairman is designated alternately every 30 months by the French or the Italian concessionary.
The management and administration of the GEIE-TMB is entrusted to a Management Committee consisting of two Directors, nominated respectively by the ATMB and the SITMB, and a Managing Director nominated alternately every 30 months by the concessionary that does not nominate the Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Moreover, conforming to the recommendations made by the European directive 2004/54/CE of April 29th 2004 (concerning the minimal security requirements applicable to tunnels of the trans-European road network), a security agent coordinates all the measures of prevention and protection to assure the security of users and the operating staff, who is appointed by the GEIE-TMB, having beforehand been accepted by the authority (the IGC).

This service guaranties the permanent presence on three sites (at each tunnel opening and the centre on the tunnel) of agents specialized in fight fires in confined spaces. The agents have at their disposition specific and very performant vehicles and equipment, and they work in close collaboration with the tunnel employees. Depending upon the actual security procedures in the tunnel, they can receive reinforce of public security services. Their presence on the site guarantees very rapid intervention, fundamental in bringing any emergency under control with a minimum delay.

Combining members of the Polizia di Stato (Italy) and the Gendarmerie Nationale (France), the bi-national police service, which has operational rooms on the two aprons, are responsible for enforcing the traffic regulations. This mission is assured by mixed patrols each having an officer from the Polizia and the Gendarmerie, who affect a surveillance of the tunnel, so completing the security plan.