WRITTEN QUESTION E-0859/00

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(22 March 2000)

Subject: Construction of a bottling plant on the island of La Gomera (Canaries, Spain)

On the island of La Gomera, a water bottling plant is currently being constructed. This project is receiving EU funding under the Investment Plan for La Gomera, which qualifies for Community aid.

However, the building works, which have already reached the second phase, are facing a broad current of opposition, from neighbourhood associations, farmers' organisations and ecological groups, who have filed complaints with the local, national and Community institutions on the following grounds:

- the plant will have an adverse environmental effect on two areas which are protected on the grounds of their ecological importance, namely Palmeral de Tagaluche and Lomo del Carretón (LIFE identifying Nos.: ES 7020108 and ES 7020037 respectively);

- the project has not been submitted to the mandatory environmental impact assessment. This has been admitted by the environment ministry of the regional government of the Canaries. All that exists is an unreliable impact assessment carried out by the municipal council of Valle Gran Rey, which is the body promoting and defending the project;

- it will eliminate the water supply for the farmers who, under the common land system, get their irrigation water from the Mena, Choquete and Tederas springs. The complainants believe that the rhythm of extraction proposed for the plant will lead to the exhaustion of the upper watercourse which feeds the springs, within five years;

- the project has been declared to be of social interest, when in reality it is only expected to create seven jobs while 116 farmers would be affected. Should the work continue, the private interests of the bottling industry would be seen to prevail over the public interests of the local residents affected.

In view of the above:

- does the Commission not consider that the EU-funded construction work on this bottling plant could be in breach of such major environmental directives as Directive 97/11/EC on environmental impact assessment(1) and Directive 92/43/EC on the protection of habitats(2)?

- can the Commission state what action has so far been taken concerning complaint No 99/4875, SG(99) A/10714/2, filed by Mrs M.A. Rodríguez on behalf of the Plataforma por la Defensa del Agua (Platform to Protect our Water) (Tagaluche)?

- would the Commission consider sending a delegation to La Gomera to ascertain the real impact of the construction work on this bottling plant on the environment of the above-mentioned protected areas and on agricultural activity?

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2000)

The Taguluche and Lomo del Carretón sites, covering 140 and 263 hectares respectively, have been identified by the Spanish authorities as sites of Community importance for possible inclusion in the Natura 2000 network under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.

It should be noted that the Commission has already received a complaint concerning the construction of the water bottling plant at Taguluche, in the Valle Gran Rey district, Gomera.

The Commission is examining the dossier to see whether the project to which the provisions of Article 6 of Directive 92/43/EEC must be applied is likely to have a significant effect on the sites in question, in view of their conservation objectives. As part of its investigation, the Commission has asked the Spanish authorities for their comments.

The project has not received any financial support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

At all events, the Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, will take the necessary measures to ensure that Community law is complied with in the case in question.