WRITTEN QUESTION E-1677/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Utilization of PHARE appropriations in Lithuania

A great deal of attention has been paid in the Member States to environmental problems in the Baltic States and the pollution of the Baltic Sea region. Funding for the protection of the region's environment and the reduction of pollution has come from many quarters.

What proportion of the PHARE appropriations intended for Lithuania was utilized in 1997 to repair and prevent environmental damage, and how was it allocated?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-1675/98, E-1676/98 and E-1677/98 given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 1998)

The Commission is well aware of the environmental problems in the three Baltic States and pays much attention to assisting the governments in preparing policies and strategies for environmental improvement. The Commission also provides significant funding for visible practical projects, such as those in waste water treatment, water quality improvement, bio-diversity management, and hazardous waste management. In these tasks, the Commission works with the bilateral and international multi-lateral programmes, with close coordination being provided by specialist units in the recipient countries. The allocations for the 1997 national Phare programmes, are summarised below:

Estonia: 3,3 MECU, out of 30,8 MECU (10,7 %) to be targeted towards:

- a water resource management plan for the oil shale mining area. This project emanates from an earlier analysis of the environmental situation there, and aims at reducing water usage as well as the pollution potential. It includes a training component for local water companies;

- investment support to water supply networks and purification plant for small municipalities.

Latvia: 6,15 MECU, out of 39,4 MECU (15,6 %) with several components:

- a technical support project to assist the ministry in identifying, tendering and contracting a major programme of investment works in the water sector - this is part of the project 800 - which is the result of an earlier Phare programme on water strategy for small municipalities;

- general technical assistance (training, project feasibility assessment, monitoring and supervision of works) to the ministry and the Latvian environment investment fund for environmental projects, most of which will require investment works or supplies. Sectors included are water, air, waste management;

- environmental monitoring systems, to include institutional skill transfer and procurement of modern environmental analysis equipment for inspectorates. This is important to allow adequate monitoring of the environment and enforcement of legislation;

- grant transfer to the Latvian environment investment fund for projects to be selected by a technical jury.

Lithuania: 5,15 MECU, out of 43,2 MECU total (11,9 %) with two major components:

- institutional strengthening, including skill transfer and procurement of modern environmental analysis equipment for inspectorates;

- investment support to the water sector in Kaunas (part of a major new construction of waste water treatment plant) and Klaipeda.