WRITTEN QUESTION E-1589/98

by Doeke Eisma (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 May 1998)

Subject: Poisonous flood in Spain

1. Is the Commission aware that the water reservoir of an iron pyrites mine in South-West Spain has burst, releasing a poisonous flood which will cause an enormous environmental disaster?

2. Was the Commission aware of the dangerous state of this mine?

3. When the Commission became aware of this iron pyrites mine, did the mining installations comply with European law?

4. Was an environmental impact assessment carried out on this mine?

5. If the mine did not comply with European law, to what extent did the Commission urge the national authorities to take measures to remedy the dangerous state of the mine?

6. Now that the environmental disaster has happened, what measures does the Commission propose to take to limit the damage as far as possible?

7. Has the Commission any ideas about what it can do to prevent such a disaster recurring in future? If so, what are they?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 1998)

1. The Commission was informed of the ecological disaster taking place near the Doñana National Park after the water reservoir at the Aznalcóllar mine had burst.

2., 3. and 5. Would the Honourable Member please refer to the Commission's answer to Written Question P-1520/98 by Mr Martinez(1).

4. It emerges from the information in the Commission's possession that the Aznalcóllar mine operated between 1974 and 1996. Mining ceased in October 1996. Since that operation had been authorised before Council Directive 85/337/EEC(2) of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment was adopted, that Directive does not apply in this case.

The competent authorities authorised the "Los Frailes" mining project in 1995. This project was subject to the environmental impact assessment procedure provided for by Royal Decree 1131/1988 of 30 September, by means of which the regulation on environmental impact assessment was adopted. That Royal Decree transposes Directive 85/337/EEC into Spanish law.

6. The Commission recently invited all of the Spanish authorities to devote some thought to the suitability of making some changes to the activities that are currently financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund and to redirect the money thus released towards countering the negative effects in the area concerned. It also suggested to said authorities that technical assistance intended more closely to analyse the effects of that disaster should be jointly financed in order to add impetus to any medium and long-term Community action.

7. As part of the Commission's action to avoid such disasters the Council adopted a programme of Community action on civil defence on 19 December 1997. That programme includes environmental health hazards. One of the major projects within that programme targets the prevention of natural and technological disasters and should lead to a definition of principles and guidelines on prevention which the Member States should be able to apply in order, inter alia, to guarantee lasting protection of the environment.

(1) See page 40.

(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.