WRITTEN QUESTION E-3558/02

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 December 2002)

Subject: Setting up of a European Bank for Environmental Prevention and Rehabilitation

For the decade following the collapse of the Communist bloc in Europe, the EU set as priorities the implementation and follow-up of the process of economic and industrial transition in the countries of Eastern Europe, in response to their prompt application to join the EU and in preparation for their accession. Under these circumstances and faced with the challenges presented by a changing Europe, the EU established an ad hoc bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The transition process has benefited greatly in each of the accession countries from EBRD guarantees, funding and strategies. That the EU has now set a firm date for accession is testament to the advanced stage of the process, and, therefore, leaves room for new and equally pressing priorities.

The challenges presented by natural disasters are at least as great as the previous challenge of transforming the Communist economies in the eastern half of Europe. The effects of disruptions to ecosystems or in terms of climate, weather or marine life, which are currently being vigorously felt on our continent, take a huge financial toll. The scale of the cost of the present environmental crises and, above all, of those to come has recently been estimated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at some USD 150 billion a year.

Do these facts and figures, illustrating the challenges and dangers and therefore the funding and efforts required, convince the Commission of the need for a Community policy aimed at taking measures commensurate with the problems that arise and dealing with these environmental situations?

Should there not be one interlocutor and central actor to coordinate and manage rebuilding and the limitation of these environmental disasters, such as the EBRD was in the case of industrial crises?

Would the Commission not simply be carrying out its responsibilities by setting up a European Bank for Environmental Prevention and Rehabilitation, which would play a monitoring role and provide information and education, with the task of aiding environmental transition today and in the future?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2003)

The Commission is convinced of the importance of the challenges presented by the recent natural disasters. The relevance of this issue prompted the Commission, even before the tragic floods in the summer of 2002,

to include the development of an integrated strategy to cope with natural and technological hazards in its work programme for 2003. Its development is one of the Commission's priorities, as it indicated in the Communication which the Commission adopted following the floods in the summer of 2002(1).

The Commission wishes to thank the Honourable Member for the concrete suggestions made. One possible solution would be to set up a European Bank for Environmental Disaster Prevention and Redevelopment responsible in particular for carrying out monitoring activities and tasks related to information and education.

Nonetheless, the measures already taken by the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB), in particular to ensure the swift provision of funds following the floods in the summer of 2002, should also be taken into consideration. There is also the possibility of using the rural development funds for damage prevention and flood repairs and the recently set up Solidarity Fund. Any proposal to establish a specialised bank must also take account of the role of the national and international institutions, and in particular the EIB.

At the moment, the Commission is investigating all the possible ways of managing natural and technological hazards in the framework of the debate on an integrated strategy.

The Commission plans to study how effective all the solutions would be and will adopt those which seem most relevant to enable it to achieve its objectives. In addition, Parliament will also be invited, at the end of the winter in 2003, to express its opinion and to make suggestions at a meeting which will be open to all parties concerned and will consider the integrated strategy.

(1) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council The European Community response to the flooding in Austria, Germany and several applicant countries A solidarity-based initiative, COM(2002) 481 final.