WRITTEN QUESTION P-3619/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(9 December 2002)

Subject: Rehabilitation of the SCI areas damaged by the sinking of the Prestige

On 13 November 2002 the oil tanker Prestige suffered an accident which has had a devastating effect on the Galician coast and, in particular, on areas designated as SCIs in connection with the Natura 2000 Network.

I have noted what the Commission has published in its memo on the Internet page of the DG for Energy and Transport with regard to the Erika I and II packages of measures and the new, specific proposals for the Prestige case. Would the Commission, however, provide more information about the measures it has devised in order to ensure that the protected areas damaged by the oil spillage from the Prestige (namely the Natura 2000 Network-designated SCIs) recover from an ecological point of view?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2003)

As the Honourable Member points out, the Prestige accident caused serious environmental damage to the Galician coast, an area with a high concentration of Natura 2000 sites.

Regarding the measures the Commission can propose to assist the recovery of the Galician coast, the following possibilities have been presented at different levels to the Spanish authorities:

1. Community framework for cooperation in the field of response to marine pollution

In the very short term, there is the possibility of supporting an environmental impact assessment survey (in the form of 50 % co-financing up to a level of EUR 300 000) of the polluted coast. Such action involves analysing the environmental effects after an accident, evaluating the preventive and remedial measures put in place, and disseminating the results and the experience acquired to the other Member States. A survey of this sort was carried out following the Baltic Carrier accident.

2. European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF)

The main purpose of the EUSF is to provide assistance principally in the event of natural disasters, and the eligibility criteria governing it are rather specific. The Commission will be examining the Spanish authorities' application very soon. It should, however, be borne in mind that any payment from the EUSF for damage that will later be covered by other sources, e.g. by insurance or by the International Oil pollution Compensation Funds Convention (FIPOL), or for which there is a clear liability, would need to be recovered by the Commission.

3. Structural Funds

Under the operational programme (OP) for Galicia (2000-2006), which is part of the Objective 1 Community Support Framework (CSF) for Spain, the OP management authority (in this case, the Spanish Ministry of Finance, jointly responsible with the government of Galicia) is able, subject to the approval of the monitoring committee for this initiative, to alter the programme complement to direct more resources towards measures which can help tackle the consequences of the disaster, though without altering the amounts allocated to each priority in the OP. Such alterations could also relate to the level of co-financing of measures.

In addition, Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/99(1) allows operating programmes to be revised in the event of significant changes in the socio-economic situation and the labour market. Such revision, which would require a decision by the Commission, would enable the amounts allocated to each priority to be altered.

4. Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG)

The Union has approved a Commission proposal for the FIFG Regulation to be amended so that, derogating from certain general rules, fuller aid can be provided to the fishing and fish farming industries, particularly by granting allowances to compensate for the temporary stoppage of activity and aid for the cleaning, recovery and rehabilitation of sites or of damaged equipment. This measure provides for the reprogramming of EUR 80 million in FIFG appropriations and of EUR 30 million initially earmarked for converting the fleet which fished in Moroccan waters.

5. Cohesion Fund

It is open to the Spanish authorities to put forward projects or groups of projects of an environmental nature for co-financing through the Cohesion Fund, within the overall amount already allocated to Spain for the period 2000-2006.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.