WRITTEN QUESTION P-1520/98

by María Sornosa Martínez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 May 1998)

Subject: Ecological disaster in Doñana

In the early hours of Saturday, 25 April a dam burst in the Aznalcóllar mine in the province of Seville, releasing more than 5 billion litres of water polluted with highly toxic mineral residues into the Guadamar river, flooding a large area of cultivated land and eventually reaching Doñana national park. What are the Commission's views on this ecological catastrophe? Has it already adopted any measures to tackle this disaster? Is the Commission in contact with the Spanish authorities on this subject? Does the Commission consider it desirable to visit the area in order to gain a first-hand impression of this disaster, which is without precedent in Spain? Does the Commission see any link between this disaster and the complaint lodged by the Ecological Pacifist Confederation of Andalusia (CEPA) in January 1996, in which it warned of waste filtration in the dam at Aznalcóllar mine?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 1998)

The Commission learned, via the media, of the ecological disaster which occurred in the vicinity of the Doñana national park. The Commission regrets that this accident occurred and the damage caused not only to the environment, but also to agriculture and the fishing industry in the area concerned.

The Commission has contacted the Spanish authorities and there is now an ongoing exchange of information concerning measures taken to protect the national park and its surroundings and action taken to minimize the consequences of the accident. The Commission has informed the Spanish authorities that, if they wish, experts from the Community task force can be sent to the area to help them assess the situation and the measures they have taken to reduce the impact on the environment and to protect the Doñana national park. The Spanish authorities welcomed this possibility and action may be taken very shortly.

The Doñana national park has been designated by the Spanish authorities as a special protection area for birds under the terms of Article 4 of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds(1).

At the end of 1995, the Commission received a complaint concerning the pollution of the rivers Agrio and Guadiamar at Aznalcóllar with dangerous substances a result of the mining activities of Bolidan Apirsa S.L. When the complaint was being investigated, the Commission asked the Spanish authorities for their comments on the matter. The case was put on the agenda of the "package" meeting on complaints and infringement procedures relating to the environment held in Madrid in November 1996. The Spanish authorities informed the Commission of the measures taken to prevent pollution. The complainant was informed by the Commission, in 1997, of the Spanish authorities' reply and was invited to provide further information so that the investigation could be continued. The complainant did not reply to this letter. The Commission, on the basis of information supplied by the Spanish authorities which indicated that the measures required to solve the problem had been taken, and lacking any new information, decided to shelve the case on 25 March 1998. The complainant was subsequently informed by the Commission of this decision.

Until the causes of the disaster are established, the Commission cannot comment on a possible link between the disaster and the abovementioned complaint. The complaint concerned water pollution caused by dangerous substances when the enterprise was operating normally, whereas the causes of the accident have not yet been elucidated.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.