Could the Commission indicate what representatives the Irish Government sent to the 28February
meeting,indicatewhetherithasreceivedaformalcontributionfromtheIrishGovernmentinresponsetoitsworkingdocument,andindicatewhenitintendscomingforwardwiththeCommunicationonthissubjectreferredtoinitsworkingdocument?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(10September2003)
Followingthemeetingof28February2003,theCommissiondidindeedassemblethecontributionsithad
receivedandcompilealistofthosewhoattendedthemeeting.
Boththelistandthecontributionshavebeenpostedonthewebsitegivenovertotheinitiative(http://
www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/civil/prote/consultation_en.htm).AsregardsIreland,MrJohnCrim-minsfromtheOfficeofPublicWorkswasregisteredamongtheparticipants,andhisdetailsareavailable
onthesite.However,theCommissionreceivednoofficialcontributionfromIreland.
Inadditiontotheconsultationprocess,theDirectors-GeneralforCivilProtectionoftheMemberStates,the
accessioncountriesandthecountriesintheEuropeanEconomicAreawerespecificallyconsultedatameetingheldonKos(Greece)atthebeginningofMay2003.
Followingthatmeeting,andhavingexaminedthecontributionsitreceived,theCommissionwillprobably
adoptthecommunicationannouncedintheworkingdocumentduringSeptember2003.
(2004/C58E/175) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2366/03
bySalvadorGarrigaPolledo(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(17July2003)
Subject:ExistingscopeoftheIberoekabusinesscooperationprogramme
InparalleltotheEurekaprogramme,forjointprojectswithundertakingsfromLatinAmericancountries,
theIberoekaprogrammehasbeensetupasasupportinstrumentfortechnologicalcooperationwiththe
samegroupofcountries.
Under this programme, a project meeting the requirements may obtain certification as an ‘Iberoeka
project’.Thiscertificationisa‘qualitylabel’fortheproject,guaranteeingitpreferentialfunding.
Can the Commission provide information on its evaluation thus far of the results of the Iberoeka
programme?Canitalsoindicatehowitseestheprogramme’sfutureandidentifythemostsalientaspects
ofitsresults?
AnswergivenbyMrBusquinonbehalfoftheCommission
(10September2003)
Iberoekaisaself-standingcooperationschemewithnostructurallinkstoEureka.
Iberoekaisaten-yearoldinitiativefromSpainandPortugalandtheirLatinAmericanpartners,inthe
contextoftheIbero-AmericanProgrammeofScienceandTechnologyforDevelopment(CYTED).ItsmainobjectiveistoincreasetheproductivityandcompetitivenessofnationalindustriesandeconomiesinIbero-Americancountriesthroughclosecooperationbetweencompaniesandresearchcentresinthefieldofscientificresearch,technologicaldevelopmentandinnovation.C58E/162 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
TheCommissionisnotinformedoftheactivitiescarriedoutbyIberoekaandthereforeisnotinaposition
toprovideanyevaluationontheseactivities.However,theCommissionisawarethatanevaluationwascommissionedbyCYTEDtotheFundacionGeneraldelaUniversidadPolitècnicadeMadridandmaybeavailablethroughthem.
(2004/C58E/176) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2367/03
byJorgeHernándezMollar(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(17July2003)
Subject:CommunitysurveyofwatertreatmentontheCostadelSol
AgoodhalfofthemostpopularbeachesoftheCostadelSolarethisyear,onceagain,sufferingfromthe
absenceoftreatmentplantsorothersuitablefacilitiesforhandlingwastewater/dashinfrastructureswhichshouldhavebeenputinplacedecadesago.
Thetreatmentissueisstill‘unfinishedbusiness’insuchtourist-orientedmunicipalitiesasFuengirola,Mijas,
BenalmádenaandNerja,whosebeachesare,thissummer,yetagainvisiblypolluted.
CantheCommissionstatewhetheraCommunitysurveyexistsofthestateofwatertreatmentontheCosta
delSolinAndalusia,pursuanttothemandatoryandbindingCommunitylegislationonthematter?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(10September2003)
IntermsofCommunitylaw,CouncilDirective91/271/EEC(
1)of21May1991concerningurbanwaste
water treatment requires Member States to ensure that all agglomerations with more than 2000population equivalents (e.g., the organic pollution measuring unit representing the average pollutionproducedperpersonperday)areprovidedwithurbanwastewatercollectionandtreatmentsystems.Smaller agglomerations shall be subject to appropriate treatment if the waste water is collected. Thedeadlinesforprovidingthosesystemsare31December1998(tertiarytreatment),31December2000and31December2005,dependinguponthesizeoftheagglomerationandthesensitivityoftherecipientwaters.
ACommunitysurveyofwastewatertreatmentexists,astheCommissionisverifyingtheimplementation
oftheUrbanWasteWaterTreatmentDirectiveveryclosely.TheCommissionfollowsthecompliancewiththedeadlinesandtheprovisionsoftheDirectiveinallMemberStates,thereforetheCostadelSolinAndalusiaiscoveredbythisprocessaswell.ViolationsoftheprovisionsoftheDirectivehavelegalactionsasaconsequence.
TheCommissionisawareoftheparticularunsatisfactorywastewatertreatmentsituationinSpainandhas
alreadylaunchedseveralinfringementproceduresagainstSpain.Twoofthemarealreadybeforecourt(A-2000/4044andC-2001/419onwhichacourtjudgementwaspronouncedinMay2003).
ConcerningFuengirolaandNerja,ahorizontalinfringementprocedureisinpreparation,whichwillcover,
besidesFuengirolaandNerja,allagglomerationswhichdonotrespecttheprovisionsoftheabovedeadlinehavingexpiredattheendof2000andconcerningagglomerationsabove15000e.g.,innonsensitiveareas.
AsregardsMijasandBenalmádena,theCommissionhasnoinformationaboutthewastewatertreatment
situationandnoindicationthatthesetwoagglomerationsfallunderoneoftheabove-mentioneddeadlines,whichhavealreadyexpired.Forthisreasontherearecurrentlynogroundstotakeanylegalaction.
(1) CouncilDirective91/271/EECconcerningurbanwastewatertreatment,OJL135,30.5.1991,p.40,asamendedby
CommissionDirective98/15/ECof27February1998,OJL67,3.7.1998,p.29.6.3.2004EN C58E/163 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion