On 13 April 1999, the Ministry of Culture of Sweden informed the Secretariat that environmental impact studies for the different alternatives for the road upgrading had been completed as well as a specific study on the possible impact on the cultural values of the World Heritage site of Tanum. These studies will go through a consultative process before any decision is taken about the choice of the routing of the road. It is stated that the opinions expressed by the WHC-ICOMOS mission and the World Heritage Committee are valuable contributions to the process to determine the location for the new E6 road in the Tanum area.
ICOMOS advised that of the two alternative proposals identified in the studies for further consideration, only one (the so-called Red Route 4) would have a minimal impact on the World Heritage values of the site. The impact of the second alternative under consideration (the so-called Route 23) would still be undesirable on what is in effect a major cultural landscape.
The Observer of Sweden remarked that the consultation process had not been concluded and that the decision making stage had not yet been reached.
The Bureau thanked the State Party for its continued efforts to ensure that the upgrading of the E6 road, which is still under consideration by the Swedish authorities, should make the minimum impact on the World Heritage site. It expressed its support for Red Route 4, favoured by the joint ICOMOS-UNESCO mission in September 1998, and requested the Government to keep the Committee and its Bureau informed on further developments in this matter.