The Brandenburg Regional Environment Office takesthe view thatthis constitutesmaintenance work
(forurgentflood-protectionreasons),eventhoughtherewasnoacutethreatontheseriversduringthefloodsofAugust2002orduringthoseofJanuary2003.TheextensiveclearanceoftreesandbushesintheseFFHareasishavingaconsiderableimpactonprotectedhabitatsandanimalspecies.
CantheCommissionsay:
/dash whetherithasalreadybeeninformedofthiswork?
/dash whetheritispreparedtoverifyifthisclearingoperationissimplyrenovationormaintenancework
(asclaimedbytheBrandenburgRegionalEnvironmentOffice)?
/dash whetheritispreparedtoinvestigate(perhapsonthespot)thepossibilitythattheworkmaybein
breachofEUdirectives(FFHDirective)?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(19June2003)
TheCommissionhasnotbeeninformedofthedevelopmentsdescribedbytheHonourableMember.Itwill
initiateaninvestigationastowhethertherequirementsofCouncilDirective92/43/EECof21May1992ontheconservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora(
1)havebeenrespectedinthiscase.
(1) OJL206,22.7.1992.
(2004/C58E/092) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1528/03
byCamiloNogueiraRomán(Verts/ALE)totheCommission
(6May2003)
Subject:CreationofaJointInspectionStructure(JIS)andproposaltosetuptheCommunityFisheries
ControlAgencyinGalicia
On21MarchthisyeartheCommissionpublishedaCommunicationtotheCouncilandtheEuropean
Parliament‘TowardsuniformandeffectiveimplementationoftheCommonFisheriesPolicy’inwhichit
includedaproposaltointroduceaCommunitysystemtostepupinspectionandsurveillanceinthesphere
of fisheries(1). According to some media sources this proposal has caused a conflict of competence
betweentheCommissionandtheMemberStates,sinceanumberofthelatterconsiderthattheproposalencroachesonnationalcompetences.Whatisthecurrentstateofplayasfarasthisproposalisconcerned?
TheCommunicationsuggestssettingupaCommunityFisheriesControlAgency(CFCA)anddefinesits
functionsandtasks.WhatconditionsshouldaEuropeancitymeetinordertoqualifyasthelocationforthisagency?
DoestheCommissionnotconsiderthat,althoughtheMemberStatesareresponsiblefordecidingonthe
locationoftheCommunityFisheriesControlAgency,itshouldproposethatitbesetupinaregion
particularlyimportantforthefisheriessector?
Inthiscase,Galiciafulfilsalltheconditions,inviewofitsstrategypositionontheAtlanticcoast,thefact
thatitisaEuropeanfisheriespowerandthatalargeproportionofinternationalseatrafficpassesalongitscoastline,andbearinginmindtheeconomicconsequencesoftheseriousaccidentcausedbythe‘Prestige’fortheregion’sfisheriessector.
IstheCommissionconsideringthepossibilityofproposingGaliciaasthelocationoftheCommunity
FisheriesControlAgency?
(1) COM(2003)130final.6.3.2004EN C58E/75 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMrFischleronbehalfoftheCommission
(4June2003)
ThepossibilityofsettingupaCommunityJointInspectionStructure(JIS)toco-ordinatenationaland
CommunityinspectionpoliciesandactivitiesandtopoolthemeansandresourcesforcontrolpurposeswasoneoftheoptionsidentifiedintheGreenPaperon‘TheFutureoftheCommonFisheriesPolicy(CFP)’(
1) which was retained in the Communicationfromthe Commissiononthe reform ofthe CFP
(‘roadmap’)(2).TheCommunicationtotheCouncilandthe Parliament‘Towardsuniformandeffective
implementationoftheCommonFisheriesPolicy’(3)followuptheseinitiatives.
ThelastCommunicationsettingouttheconceptofaJISwillbediscussedthoroughlyintheCounciland
theParliament.AproposaloftheCommissiononthesettingupoftheJISwillbetransmittedtotheCouncil andthe Parliament by 2004after an extended impact studyis finalised. In this context, theCommissioncouldalsoproposetotheCounciltheseatofthisAgency.
(1) COM(2001)135final.
(2) COM(2002)181final.
(3) COM(2003)130final.
(2004/C58E/093) WRITTENQUESTIONP-1529/03
byRodiKratsa-Tsagaropoulou(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(29April2003)
Subject:GrantingofloansbytheEuropeanInvestmentBank(EIB)toGreeceandTurkey
On2April2003theEIBdecidedtograntEUR350milliontoTurkeytosupporttheprivatesectorand
forthereconstructionoftheareashitbythe1999earthquake.
DoestheCommissionhaveanyinformationfromtheEIB(tablesorstudies)regarding which specific
projectstheTurkishadministrationwillfundwiththeseloans?IsthereanevaluationoftheusemadeofthefirsttrancheofEUR150millioninloanstoTurkey,grantedforthesamepurpose?
In1999GreecewasgrantedaloanofEUR300millionforthesamepurpose.DoestheCommissionhave
detailsontheusemadeoftheseloansandthetake-uprate?ThefirstenvelopewhichtheEIBapprovedmadeprovisionforthegrantingofEUR900million.WhatreasonscantheCommissiongiveforthedelayincontinuingwiththegrantingoftheseloans,andwhatplansarethereforpaymentoftheremainingamount?
AnswergivenbyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(21May2003)
InresponsetotheAugust1999earthquakewhichdevastatedtheEasternMaramararegionofTurkey,at
therequestoftheCouncil,acompositeLoanFacilityofEUR600millionwasapprovedbytheEuropeanInvestmentBank’s(EIB)BoardofGovernorsinJanuary2000,knownasthe‘TERRA’Mandate(theTurkeyEarthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Mandate). This Mandate is covered by aCommunityGuarantee(
1).
The EUR150 million(2) loan signed on 2April 2003 is the third tranche of a total loan of
EUR450million(forInfrastructureandUrbanReconstruction),underwhatistermedthe‘TERRA1’.ThefirsttwoloantranchesamountingtoEUR300millionweresignedin2000.C58E/76 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion