WRITTEN QUESTION E-0796/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 March 2002)

Subject: Community funding of plans projects implementing the Natura 2000 network and EAGGF contribution to environmental protection in Greece

The prime objective of the sustainable management of natural and environmental resources one of the priorities in drawing up EU policy with a view to the European Council meeting in Barcelona is to promote specific aspects of environmental policy such as in relation to water, land and soil. Directive 92/43/EEC(1) provides for special measures to protect and conserve natural habitats (biotopes, wild biotopes, grassland), wild fauna and flora throughout the EU, and to create a coherent European ecological network of special areas named Natura 2000. With this network as a basis, Member States draw up national lists of special conservation areas with the Commission subsequently compiling a list of areas of Community interest. These areas are defined in the legislation as special areas of conservation for which special management plans are drawn up defining the activities permitted and the method of managing and enhancing the natural resources etc.

1. What financial support, per plan and project and in total, has Greece received in respect of implementing the Natura 2000 network, under the 2nd Community Support Framework (CSF), from the Cohesion Fund and the Life programme since 1996 to date? Will the Commission provide a detailed breakdown for each plan and project separately and indicate the amounts allocated from each source of funds separately, per year and in total?

2. What amount of financial aid has Greece received since 1993 for the implementation of Community environment policy? What is the amount of appropriations entered in the 2nd CSF for the operational programme on the environment and what is the take-up rate in respect of those appropriations?

3. What amount of financial support has been received from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), with particular reference to soil and water resources for the protection and rational management of coastal areas, waterways which flow into them, and wetlands. Will the Commission provide a detailed breakdown for each plan and project separately and indicate the amounts allocated from each source of funds separately, per year and in total?

4. What contribution has the EAGGF made to Greece for soil and water protection in relation to agricultural production methods which are compatible with environmental protection and conservation of the natural environment on the basis of quantitative and qualitative indicators?

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

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(1 July 2002)

The Commission has obtained information from the Greek Environment Ministry and can inform the Honourable Member as follows.

1. For the period 1993-1999 there was no Cohesion Fund support for projects exclusively concerned with protecting Natura 2000 biotopes. Only the 80 % support (EUR 15 740 000) for the Goulandris Museum project is indirectly concerned with such protection.

The Commission is sending directly to the Honourable Member and Parliament's Secretariat a list of the Greek projects financed since 1996 under the LIFE-Nature programme. Additionally, although financed from the LIFE-Environment programme, the Zantecoast project (ref. LIFE00/ENV/GR/000751) also involves Natura 2000 implementation. Its total budget is EUR 1 619 693, of which the Community contribution is 44,44 %.

In contrast to LIFE, the European Regional Development Fund supports not individual projects but integrated economic development programmes such as those under Objective 1 in Greece. For the period 1994-1999 the ERDF contribution to implementation of Natura 2000 was EUR 23 400 750 (Environment Operational Programme: subprogramme 3 on protection of nature and Natura 2000 sites).

2. Environment sector aid from the Cohesion Fund was EUR 1 464 000 000 for 1993-1999, EUR 163 800 000 for 2002 and EUR 253 100 000 for 2001.

The Community contribution since 1993 to all LIFE projects in Greece has been EUR 46 498 300.

The ERDF contributed EUR 347 705 000 (out of a total cost of EUR 463 637 000) to the 1994-1999 Environment OP. The take-up rate for the programme is 100 %. For the regional strand of the Community support framework for the same period (multifund OPs for Greek regions) the estimated assistance is EUR 156 000 000.

3. and 4. The EAGGF does not finance individual projects but programmes, with a strong agri-environmental component, under which individual commitments are given. For the period 1994-1999 these programmes were adopted under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992(1) and for the period 2000-2006 under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999(2) (EAGGF Guarantee Section Rural Development Programming Document (RDPD)).

Three of the agri-environmental measures implemented in Greece are concerned with protecting underground and surface waters and the soil and thus with protecting and preserving the natural environment. These involve organic farming (positive overall effect on natural resources), a plan to reduce nitrate pollution of agricultural origin in the Thessalian Plain (impact primarily on underground water quality and surface water-courses) and long-term set-aside of agricultural land (impact primarily on sensitive areas and biotopes such as Natura 2000 and to a lesser extent on water courses, lakes and coastal zones).

Since 1995 these three measures have incurred expenditure as and when they were approved under Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92. The commitments entered into will continue to be paid for over

the period 2000-2006 in the RDPD framework. The table sent to the Honourable Member gives an overview of the amounts paid by the EAGGF and certain result indicators. The 2000-2006 RDPD includes four new agri-environmental management measures in Natura 2000 areas: Delta Nestou-Keramoti, Vistonida, Volvi-Koroneia and Dasos Dadias Evrou. These have not yet begun to operate.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of protection of the environment and maintenance of the countryside, OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the EAGGF and amending and repealing certain Regulations, OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.