WRITTEN QUESTION E-1493/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 May 2002)

Subject: Biological sewage treatment plants in Greece

The Commission recently took the decision to bring proceedings against Greece in the Court of Justice for its failure to observe the final deadline for setting up a third-generation sewage treatment plant in the region of Elefsina. The final deadline expired in 1998(!). The proceedings could also involve a further 11 areas in the vicinity of sensitive ecosystems which have not observed Community directives or binding dates. More precisely, according to reports in the Greek press, since 1998 tertiary treatment plants should have been completed in 16 Greek towns with populations of over 10 000 in sensitive areas. However, the number of towns which complied with the directive was only four (!), while the Greek authorities justify themselves by saying that the degree of compliance in 1998 was equally low in other Member States At the present time, four years later, 12 tertiary biological treatment plants have been completed in Greece in areas in the close vicinity of sensitive outfall points (such as the Gulf of Arta, the Lefkada straits, etc.), while the other four plants, at Thriasio, Grevena, Kilkis and Thiva, remain unfinished. In fact, the construction of the plant at Thriasio is still at the drawing-board stage!

There are, however, also problems associated with the monitoring of the operation of the plants by the central administration or the local authorities which, according to a study carried out by Athens University, has left 30 % of the plants facing serious operational problems (e.g. inadequate maintenance, shortages of consumables, unrepresentative sampling etc.). According to the same study, in many instances, the sewage treatment plants were never operational, an example being Serifos where the plant was completed in 1994 with Community and national funding, but is not in operation because of mistakes in the planning of the project.

Is the Commission familiar with this matter and what are its views thereon? Which of the above projects received funding and what were the exact amounts? Is it possible that further action will be taken against Greece in the Court of Justice for the other delays in building biological sewage treatment plants which should have been completed since 1998, as referred to above? If so, which projects by name? Does the Commission intend to intercede with the Greek authorities and in what manner to persuade them to put an end to these enormous delays in building biological sewage treatment plants and the failure of the local authorities to monitor and check on their operation?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 July 2002)

The Commission is following the implementation process of Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment(1) in all the Member States, including Greece. In this context, the Commission has already initiated three individual infringement procedures against Greece for failure to comply with this Directive. These infringements concern the municipalities of Athens, Elefsina and Thessaloniki. Further investigations, with the view to assessing that the provisions and the deadlines are implemented, are underway. The Commission will not hesitate to take all the necessary measures, including action under Article 226 of the EC Treaty, in order to ensure that Community legislation is correctly applied.

As far as Structural and Cohesion Funds are concerned, the Commission has requested the Greek authorities to provide the information about the individual projects that have been funded and the exact amounts involved. This will be forwarded to the Honourable Member upon receipt.

Furthermore, the Commission has conducted review meetings in recent months to assess in partnership with the Greek authorities the scale of the task remaining to be done, in an effort to ensure that the most urgent investment requirements are undertaken as soon as possible in order to improve compliance with the relevant Community legislation.

As is foreseen in the Community support framework for the current programming period 2000-2006, the Greek authorities are establishing a technical support entity to give guidance where necessary to municipal authorities in particular, for the proper design of sewage treatment plants, and support for their maintenance and operation after completion.

This should help to avoid the problems in the maintenance and operation of previously completed sewage treatment plants of the kind referred to by the Honourable Member. The decision of the Greek government to establish bodies (DEYAs) with the appropriate competence and financial capacity is also a positive step which should improve efficiency in the building and operation of sewage treatment plants.

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.