WRITTEN QUESTION E-0540/01

by Raimon Obiols i Germà (PSE) to the Commission

(23 February 2001)

Subject: Environmental impact assessment of the plan to route a high-speed rail line through Santa Oliva (Tarragona, Spain)

The Commission has initiated an infringement procedure against Spain for failure to comply with the Directive on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (Directive 85/337/EEC(1) as amended by Directive 97/11/EC(2)) in granting permission to build a railway line linking Tarragona and Valencia.

In accordance with the aforementioned Directive, has the Commission looked into the specific case of Santa Oliva (Tarragona), and the serious environmental impact

and even greater socio-economic costs involved in planning to route the Lérida-Barcelona stretch of the high-speed line through Santa Oliva? A study conducted by the Santa Oliva town council has found that, were it to go ahead, the project would directly affect 44 homes in the Camí dels Molins area, and indirectly affect 98 homes on the Sant Jordi housing estate and 200 homes in the Les Pedreres area.

Therefore, bearing in mind the above facts, has the Commission also considered whether the planned route through Santa Oliva is compatible with the stipulations of Regulation (EC) No 2236/95(3) laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks?

What measures does the Commission intend to take, should the route prove incompatible?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

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

(3) OJ L 228, 23.9.1995, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2001)

The Commission recently received a complaint about possible misapplication of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, alleging shortcomings in the environmental impact assessment conducted on the planned Lérida-Martorell high-speed rail line. This is being studied.

As regards the specific case of Santa Oliva, the Commission is analysing the content and implications of the documents submitted by the town council.

The information supplied by the Honourable Member is not sufficient to draw conclusions about any possible infringement of the abovementioned Directive.

The Commission has indeed initiated an infringement procedure against Spain for incorrect application of Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment in the case of the Las Palmas-Oropesa stretch of the planned Valencia-Tarragona line. This particular stretch, which entails laying 13 kilometres of new track, had not been submitted for an environmental impact assessment, as required by the obligations laid down in the Directive. However, this infringement procedure does not concern the stretch mentioned in this written question.

The choice of routes submitted to the Commission for funding under Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks is exclusively up to the Member State.