# CE2004078EN.01052701.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/527 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/527

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(2004/C 78 E/0548)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3345/03

by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 November 2003)

Subject:   Villas of Palladio

Subject:

In 1994 the villas of Palladio were inscribed on the World Heritage List. It is now proposed to build a 54-kilometre motorway through the Veneto area with seven exits and tollgates — the Valdastico South motorway

Whilst acknowledging the right of the Italian Government to build such roads as it thinks fit, will the Commission work with the Italian authorities to ensure that any such plans do not harm the Palladian villas or the surrounding landscape and that a full and enhanced Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out on the proposals?

Will the Commission also discuss with the Italian authorities whether the Valdastico South motorway is needed, given the adequacy of the existing A22 motorway and the SS247 road and the fact that the Valdastico North motorway very little used?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2004)

(7 January 2004)

Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (EIA Directive) as amended by Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (1) provides that Member States must ensure that, before development consent is given, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made subject to an assessment of the environmental effects. These projects are defined in Article 4 that refers to Annex I and II of the Directive. The construction of motorways falls into Annex I point 7(b) for which a mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has to be carried out.

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In such a case the Italian authorities should take measures to ensure that the environmental impact assessment procedure is carried out which includes:

| (a) | a description of the aspects of the environment likely to be significantly affected by the proposed project such as archaeological heritage, landscape, population etc. (as per Article 5 and Annex IV), |
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(a)

a description of the aspects of the environment likely to be significantly affected by the proposed project such as archaeological heritage, landscape, population etc. (as per Article 5 and Annex IV),

| (b) | consultations with the public and other competent authorities responsible for the environment, and |
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(b)

consultations with the public and other competent authorities responsible for the environment, and

| (c) | publication of the decision containing conditions attached to the development consent, main reasons and consideration on which the decision is based and description, where necessary, of the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, offset the major adverse effects. |
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(c)

publication of the decision containing conditions attached to the development consent, main reasons and consideration on which the decision is based and description, where necessary, of the main measures to avoid, reduce and, if possible, offset the major adverse effects.

The result of consultations and the information gathered pursuant to Articles 5 and 6 must be taken into consideration in the development consent procedure.

The Commission has already looked into the matter raised by the Honourable Member and found no elements which could show any breach of the Directive in this specific case. In addition, the EIA Directive does not contain any legal requirements to contest the opportunity of a project or the development consent itself.

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(1)  OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

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