In March 1999, one of these, the Mont Blanc tunnel into France, was closed by a fire, which killed 39 people.

ECONOMIST: Transalpine tunnels

As for the Mont Blanc tunnel, between France and Italy, which used to take 4, 000 trucks a day, it was shut after one caught fire in 1999, killing 39 people.

ECONOMIST: Switzerland

France and Italy promised better safety checks for road tunnels after at least 40 people died when a lorry caught fire in a tunnel under Mont Blanc .

ECONOMIST: Kosovo in crisis