WRITTEN QUESTION E-0543/98 by Gianfranco Dell'Alba (ARE) to the Commission (4 March 1998)

Subject: European financing for the archaeological park of Populonia (Livorno)

In the Etruscan necropolis of Populonia on the bay of Baratti (Livorno) an archaeological park and nature reserve is being created by the company Val di Cornia, financed by the European Regional Fund.

The plans for the park are causing grave concern as regards respect for and preservation of both the environmental characteristics of the archaeological site, which is almost intact, and the archaeological remains themselves, in that:

a) a conspicuous structure which raises up, enlarges and encases in concrete the ruins of a modest farmhouse, is clearly incompatible with the adjoining archaeological remains;

b) the project provides for the construction of a car park for at least 2000 cars, also in the archaeological area.

The park, which is under private management, includes both land expropriated from the previous owners in the public interest, and State-owned land containing the Etruscan tombs and archaeological remains, which hitherto were accessible to the public free of charge, but will now be accessible only on payment of a fee.

1. Does the Commission consider that the project and the way it is being carried out, in particular the construction of the building and the large-scale car park, are compatible with the aims of European Union funding?

2. Does the Commission not intend to ascertain whether in the areas in which building work has been done and where earth-moving equipment was used, the compulsory excavation tests were carried out?

3. Did the people involved in the excavation work have the appropriate specialized qualifications and did they have the required insurance cover?

4. Were enough archaeologists present during the work?

5. What opinions have been expressed by the archaeology department of the Tuscan Regional Government and the other institutions involved concerning the project, above all regarding the large-scale car park?

6. Does the Commission not consider it necessary to suspend funding until it has been definitively established that the creation of the park will not cause irreparable damage to an irreplaceable element of the archaeological and natural heritage?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (14 April 1998)

The matters raised by the Honourable Member are primarily the responsibility of the Italian authorities in application of the subsidiarity principle. On the basis of information received from them the following points can be made:

1. The project is being funded under the objective 2 structural fund programme for the region of Tuscany and is compatible with the aims of this programme.

2. The Commission understands that due attention has been paid at all stages of the project to the environment as a whole and the archeological sites in particular. The environmental and archeological authorities (Soprintendenza ai beni ambientali and Soprintendenza archeologica) were consulted before approval of the project and their opinions and recommendations form an integral part of it.

3. and 4. The archeological excavations are being conducted in conformity with Italian legislation under the supervision of the Soprintendenza archeologica.

5. The existing car park will be enlarged to accommodate 419 cars and 6 coaches, not 2000 places. This will provide parking for 1300 to 1500 people wishing to visit the park. The Commission does not have specific information on the opinions expressed by the archeology department on the car park.

6. The Commission does not consider that there are grounds for suspending funding of this project which, it appears, is proceeding with due care and does not constitute a risk to the archeological heritage of the area.