EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 65/192

(2004/C 65 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2687/03

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject: Project to combat coastal erosion at Marine di Ugento

The Regional Operational Programme (ROP) for Apulia envisages Community funding for a project intended to tackle the emergency caused by the erosion of the sandy coastline of Marine di Ugento (Measure 1.3. — soil conservation measures — Action 2: measures to protect the coastline).

The project receiving funding, to be carried out by the company Etacons, s.r.l., covers:

(a) the rebuilding of three wall-panels situated along the beach, to be carried out by raising the remains of four other panels located in the same area;

(b) dredging the sand from the present inlet between the two existing breakwaters and moving it to cover the adjacent coastal area;

(c) removing the existing inlet by ‘raising’ the outer breakwater and eliminating the inner breakwater, which is considered to be the main cause of the erosion;

(d) the building of another new breakwater approximately 220 metres long and 24 metres wide in that same inlet.

As regards this project it should be noted that:

1. the construction of a breakwater more than 220 metres long in an area covered by a number of conservation orders is incompatible with the aims of restoring the environment set out in the ROP;

2. the new breakwater is useless as far as containing coastal erosion is concerned, since one of the contributory causes of the erosion is precisely the presence of two other breakwaters in the area;

3. the project has not been subjected to an environmental impact assessment, an essential prerequisite for eligibility for Community funding.

In view of the above, does the Commission not consider that the project constitutes an inappropriate use of Community funding designed to safeguard the environment?

Does it not consider that the competent authorities should ascertain whether the project is legitimate and lawful, in view of the improper use being made of the Structural Funds?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(20 October 2003)

It is the responsibility of the Apulian authorities managing the regional programme to which the Honourable Member refers to select the projects to be included in it and verify that Structural Fund resources are to be used in a way that complies with the Community environmental rules in force.

These authorities have confirmed to the Commission that such a selection procedure was in fact followed for the project in question.

The Ecology Department of the Environmental Assessorate for Apulia Region gave a favourable ‘environmental impact assessment’ for the project subject to certain requirements:

— completion without any site access widening, as that would lead to worse damage to the dune environment,

— movement of the sand by pumping and not by lorry,

— completion of the work without interfering with tourist access to the sea during the summer period.

Work on the project was suspended by the Public Prosecutor's Office on 10 June this year for a check to be made that the work in progress was in fact that scheduled and carried no risk of provoking more serious erosion. The suspension was lifted on 29 August.

The Commission has received a complaint covering the same points as the Honourable Member raises and the information he has given has been added to the file. The complaint is now being assessed and if the Commission concludes that Community law is being breached it will, as guardian of the EC Treaty, not hesitate to take whatever action, including infringement proceedings under Treaty Article 226, is needed to ensure observance of Community law.