WRITTEN QUESTION P-1655/98

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE) to the Commission

(18 May 1998)

Subject: Pollution of the River Axios by industrial plants in FYROM

The recent study by the Danish Kruger Institute and reports in the media point out that huge quantities of toxic and chemical waste from industries in the region of Veles in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are being discharged into the River Axios. The quantities of chemicals being poured into the river are 644 times greater than the internationally allowed limits for phosphorus compounds, 177 times the limit for chlorides and 15 times the limit for nitrogen compounds. Liquid waste is being tipped into the River Axios at the rate of 1 500 cubic metres an hour, whereas the limit in Europe is 135 to 200 cubic metres an hour. Bearing in mind that the River Axios runs through Greek and Community territory and finally flows into the Thermaic Gulf and that its wetland is protected by the Ramsar Convention.

Will the Commission say:

- whether it is aware of the major disaster which is taking shape in the region and, in particular, on Community and Greek territory,

- by what means it will protect public health and the environment which are being affected by industrial activities in FYROM,

- what policy and measures it will pursue in cooperation with the FYROM authorities to halt the pollution of the River Axios,

- what obligations are incumbent on FYROM under international agreements and conventions and under its agreements with the European Union (EU) in regard to environmental protection, and

- what financial aid has been granted by the EU to FYROM in recent years and for what purposes and whether financial aid can be used in the future to clean up the River Axios?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 1998)

The Commission is fully aware of the problems of pollution of the River Axios (Vardar) referred to by the Honourable Member, although it has not seen the specific study he mentions. For several years the waste from industries in the region of Veles in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has posed a serious problem in both FYROM and Greece.

This matter is frequently raised in the PHARE context of cross-border cooperation between Greece and FYROM, in which the Greek authorities play an active part. This year's programme already provides for setting up an ECU1,6 million system to monitor the water quality of the River Axios (Vardar). The system is part of an overall strategy to manage water (including lakes) shared between the two countries in question. Since 1996 under the PHARE national programme for FYROM, ECU 2 million has been allocated to setting up a special environmental fund with a view to institutional strengthening and water and waste management. An additional ECU 3 million will be available in 1998/1999.

Under the Cooperation Agreement between the Community and FYROM, which came into force on 1 January 1998, the two sides undertake to exchange information on the environment and to foster cooperation by carrying out specific measures. In this connection the PHARE national programme for FYROM could be used in the future to identify specific schemes to reduce the quantity and toxicity of industrial waste in the region of Veles.

With regard to the conventions and agreements that could be applied to the case in question, according to the Commission's information, FYROM is neither a contracting party to the United Nations Convention on the protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes, nor to the Ramsar Convention and is therefore not bound by their requirements.