WRITTEN QUESTION P-0638/03

by José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE) to the Commission

(26 February 2003)

Subject: Report on the Spanish National Hydrological Plan

The Commission is in the process of examining the Spanish National Hydrological Plan, and in particular the large-scale plan to divert 1 050 hm3 of water from the River Ebro to other water catchment areas. The main recipient of the water diverted under the project will be the catchment areas in the Autonomous Community of Murcia. The regional government of Murcia is devoting significant time and resources, in conjunction with the Spanish central government, to persuading the Commission to approve these diversions and cofinance their implementation. It has to this end appointed Mr Amalio Garrido, its commissioner for sustainable development, as its representative in Brussels.

The Polytechnic University of Cartagena (Murcia) recently published a report dated 7 January 2003 and entitled A Technical Review of the Spanish National Hydrological Plan (Ebro River Out-of-basin Diversion), which the Commission is currently examining.

The authors of this report state that the European Union asked Alexander J. Horne and John Dracup to form a team of six experts with a view to drawing up the report, with their client and contact person being Amalio Garrido.

This begs the following questions:

1. Did the Commission or members of its staff play a part in the decision to prepare this report, in the choice of its authors, in its drafting or in anything relating to it?

2. If so, what part did the Commission or members of its staff play, and what was the aim of this involvement?

3. What relationship developed between the European Commission or members of its staff, the Regional Government of Murcia's commissioner for sustainable development and the University of Cartagena with regard to the preparation of this report?

Joint answerto Written Questions P-638/03, P-0653/03 and P-0689/03given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2003)

Contrary to what might be said in the report, the Commission did not request the formation of a team or the production of a report.

There are many divergent statements, opinions, claims and counter claims concerning the Spanish hydrological plan in general and the proposed Ebro transfer in particular. The volume of material, which exists on this subject, is immense. In contacts with the Spanish officials and others, the Commission raised the possibility of an independent assessment being carried out in order to try and reconcile some of the divergent positions. Given the experience with

inter-basin transfers in the United States and the similarities which exist between the parts of South-East Spain and the Western United States, it was thought that American experts might be able to provide a valuable insight into some of the key issues associated with the proposed Ebro transfer.

The Commission provided the names of prominent American experts but was not involved in the decision to establish a team of experts nor in the choice of the experts. The Commission did not have any direct contact with the experts and was not involved in their investigation although it was informed of its status on a regular basis. The Commission advised that the experts be given access to a wide selection of material concerning the proposed Ebro transfer, including not only official documents but also reports from non-governmental organisations, academics and others that had raised concerns in relation to the proposed transfer. The Commission also advised that the report be made public and widely accessible.

The idea of an independent investigation was very strongly supported by Mr Amalio Garrido from the region of Murcia. It is understood that Mr Garrido has an unpaid position as a Commissioner for sustainable development with the regional government in Murcia. He also represents a municipal drinking water supply company in the Murcia region. The information and advice referred to above was provided to Mr Garrido. The host organisation for the commissioning and execution of the study was the University of Cartagena in Murcia.