WRITTEN QUESTION E-3458/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 November 2000)

Subject: Special regional planning studies for the Cyclades

At the end of the 1980s, special teams of scientists were given the task, under the Envireg and MOP (multifund operational programme) Community programmes, of drafting special regional planning studies on the development, land use and environmental protection of the Cyclades islands. However, allegations and protests have revealed that some of these studies have not yet been completed, and many others which have been completed have not been legally ratified by the publication of presidential decrees to enable them to be used.

It is clear from communication 1037/18.7.2000 by the State Secretary for the Environment, Regional Planning and Public Works that Greece seems to be making choices that are at odds with the legal provisions of the special regional planning studies. One direct result of this obstructionism is that the major problems concerning the environment, development and the economy faced on a daily basis by the sensitive island ecosystems of the Cyclades have not been solved and are in fact worsening, while land development is increasing apace.

In view of the particular wish of both the Commission and the Council for a Community strategy for the integrated management and development of coastal areas, based on the principles of long-term sustainability and sound environmental practice, could the Commission say, since it has co-financed the studies, why the studies have not been legally ratified by the publication of corresponding presidential decrees, although many of them have already been completed, why Greece is making choices other than those put forward by the special regional planning studies, as demonstrated by the replies of the Ministry of the Environment, Regional Planning and Public Works, and whether the relevant sanctions have been imposed on all those who have not completed the studies within the required time, as has emerged from various allegations?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2000)

The Commission is aware of the slowness with which the Greek authorities have been implementing the special regional planning studies and has raised this point on several occasions within the Monitoring Committees supervising the operational programmes under which they have been part-financed.

The Greek authorities have made no secret of the delays in practical application of these studies, the explanation repeatedly given being the complexity of the legal and administrative procedures for their implementation.

One of the goals of the Community Initiative Envireg in 1990-1993 was to prepare these studies but, because of the subsidiarity principle, no time limit was put on their application on the ground, this being left to the discretion of the Member State. This is why, when the Initiative was wound up and the final balance paid, the Commission did not refuse money for these studies; the Greek authorities continued to express their intention of completing the procedure for their implementation. The same situation arose over similar studies of this kind part-financed under regional operational programmes in 1989-1993.

In the 1994-1999 programming period, more studies of this kind were part-financed mainly under measure 4.2 of the operational programme entitled Environment. Similar problems with slow procedures arose. Accordingly, at the 9th meeting of the Monitoring Committee held in Athens on 15 December 1999, it was decided that part-financing under this OP would be limited to the 25 studies which could be implemented on the ground by the end of 2001. In the case of the other studies, which are generally being conducted in four phases, the only eligible expenditure under this programme would be spending on the phase already started.

The other points raised by the Honourable Member, such as the choices made by the national authorities and possible penalties for delays, fall solely within the competence of the Member State.