EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/111

(2004/C 84 E/0148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3898/03

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject: Otters in UK rivers

Otters are said to have returned for the first time in decades to a great many rivers in the UK, principally as a result of improved water quality and the end of otter hunting.

Will the Commission list the items of EU legislation the implementation of which by the UK Government is likely to have contributed to this positive development?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2004)

The Otter Lutra lutra is subject to both the site and species protection provisions of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1). As the species is listed in Annex II of the Directive, Member States are required to designate special areas of conservation for its conservation. It is also likely to indirectly benefit from the conservation of wetlands in Natura 2000 for other species and habitat types of Community Interest. Its listing in Annex IV of the Directive requires Member States to establish a system of strict protection for it which prohibits, ‘inter alia’, all forms of deliberate capture or killing of specimens of the species as well as deterioration or destruction of its breeding sites or resting places. The Community is also supporting the conservation of Otters in the United Kingdom through the ‘LIFE in UK rivers’ demonstration project (2) under the LIFE Regulation (3).

Improving the quality of water is also covered by a wide range of Community water legislation. The first set of Directives was aimed at specific water uses such as fish waters (Directive 78/659/EEC (4)), shellfish waters (Directive 79/923/EEC (5)) and waters for the abstraction of drinking water (Directive 75/440/EEC (6)) or specific pollutants (Directive 76/464/EEC (7)). Later on, the focus of Community water policy shifted to regulate key pollution sources such as urban wastewater (Directive 91/271/EEC (8)), nitrates from agricultural sources (Directive 91/676/EEC (9)) and industrial pollution (IPPC Directive 96/61/EC (10)). The combination of these and other measures partly affecting water quality have contributed to the significant water quality improvements seen throughout Europe in the past 30 years. However, there are still a number of areas where water quality has not reached levels to ensure the sustainable functioning of the ecosystem. An overview of trends and the current status has recently been published by the European Environment Agency (11).

The new Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (12) will further improve this positive trend by requiring coordinating management of river basins with a view to achieving ambitious environmental objectives regarding the ecological and chemical quality of surface waters.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2) http://www.english-nature.org.uk/lifeinukrivers/index.html

(3) Regulation (EC) No 1655/2000 of the Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE), OJ L 192, 28.7.2000.

(4) Council Directive 78/659/EEC of 18 July 1978 on the quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life, OJ L 222, 14.8.1978.

(5) Council Directive 79/923/EEC of 30 October 1979 on the quality required of shellfish waters, OJ L 281, 10.11.1979.

(6) Council Directive 75/440/EEC of 16 June 1975 concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the Member States, OJ L 194, 25.7.1975.

(7) Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community, OJ L 129, 18.5.1976.

(8) Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment, OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.

(9) Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.

(10) Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control, OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(11) Europe's water: An indicator-based assessment, Topic report No 1/2003:

(http://reports.eea.eu.int/topic_report_2003_1/en)

(12) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.