# CE2004084EN.01036701.xml

| 3.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 84/367 |
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3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 84/367

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(2004/C 84 E/0425)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0345/04

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(10 February 2004)

Subject:   Trans-European Transport Networks

Subject:

Does the Commission agree that the development of the Trans-European Transport Networks should take into account existing wildlife sites such as Natura 2000 sites?

Does the Commission intend to carry out a full strategic environmental assessment to ensure that negative impacts on the environment are minimised?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2004)

(29 March 2004)

The development of the Trans-European Transport (TEN-T) network takes into account existing Wildlife and the Natura 2000 sites as follows:

| — | Decision No 1692/96 on the Community guidelines (1) currently being revised by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, makes clear that any TEN-T project must fully comply with EU environmental legislation. According to Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (2), Member States must carry out an environmental assessment. At the level of plans and programmes, they have to implement the Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (3) by July 2004. Article 6 of the Habitats Directive (4) also requires Member States to assess plans (and projects) in relation to their impact on Natura 2000 sites; |
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Decision No 1692/96 on the Community guidelines (1) currently being revised by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, makes clear that any TEN-T project must fully comply with EU environmental legislation. According to Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (2), Member States must carry out an environmental assessment. At the level of plans and programmes, they have to implement the Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (3) by July 2004. Article 6 of the Habitats Directive (4) also requires Member States to assess plans (and projects) in relation to their impact on Natura 2000 sites;

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| — | the Commission has carried out an Extended Impact Assessment of its proposal to revise the TEN-T Guidelines on 1 October 2003 (5) including the evaluation of environmental, economic and social impacts by taking interrelations of projects, corridors and modes into consideration as well as traffic and economy forecast for alternatives. The study included the analysis of the proximity of the priority projects with Natura 2000 sites; |
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the Commission has carried out an Extended Impact Assessment of its proposal to revise the TEN-T Guidelines on 1 October 2003 (5) including the evaluation of environmental, economic and social impacts by taking interrelations of projects, corridors and modes into consideration as well as traffic and economy forecast for alternatives. The study included the analysis of the proximity of the priority projects with Natura 2000 sites;

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| — | the Commission makes sure that before any Community funding is granted, evidence of the application of Community environmental legislation is shown. For this purpose, in the allocation of the TEN-budget since 2001, the Commission requests a specific declaration by the authority in the Member State responsible for monitoring of Natura 2000 sites, confirming that the procedure specified in Article 6 of the Habitats Directive has been followed. |
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the Commission makes sure that before any Community funding is granted, evidence of the application of Community environmental legislation is shown. For this purpose, in the allocation of the TEN-budget since 2001, the Commission requests a specific declaration by the authority in the Member State responsible for monitoring of Natura 2000 sites, confirming that the procedure specified in Article 6 of the Habitats Directive has been followed.

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(1)  Decision No 1692/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network, OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

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(2)  OJ L 175, 5.7.1985 amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

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(3)  Directive 2001/42/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001, OJ L 197, 21.7.2001.

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(4)  Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

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(5)  Commission staff working paper SEC(2003) 1060.

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