WRITTEN QUESTION E-4141/00

by Guido Sacconi (PSE) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: The EU's position with regard to the International Year of Mountains 2002

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year 2002 as International Year of Mountains (IYM) in resolution A/RES/53/24, giving the FAO the main role in organising the initiative.

The International Year of Mountains is one of the fruits of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio.

One of the major achievements of the summit was Agenda 21, Chapter 13 of which is entitled Managing fragile ecosystems: sustainable mountain development.

The purpose of the IYM is to promote the conservation and sustainable development of mountain regions (considered as vitally important for the supply of water and energy resources and biodiversity) on the same level as other major topics (climate change, desertification and deforestation) in the worldwide debate on the environment and development.

Can the Commission:

1. specify the initiatives the European Union will take with a view to developing and publicising this initiative at Community level;

2. express an opinion regarding the continuing problem of promoting appropriate policies on this subject and the introduction of new programmes for the conservation, management and sustainable exploitation of these areas;

3. indicate in general terms what lines of action the EU will adopt to achieve the objectives laid down in Chapter 13, such as the acquisition and enhancement of knowledge about the ecology and sustainable development of mountain ecosystems and the promotion of the integrated development of river basins?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2001)

The Commission refers the Honourable Member to its answers to Written Questions E-1271/00 by Mr Sacconi(1), P-3067/00 by Mr Caveri(2), E-3162/00 by Mr Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya(3) and E-3599/00 by Mr Caveri(4).

With regard to the objectives of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, it wishes to state that Strand B (Transnational Cooperation) of the Interreg III Community Initiative specifically includes, under the measure on the preservation of the environment and the good management of the cultural heritage and natural resources, the devising and implementing of integrated strategies and measures to prevent floods in the transnational parts of catchment areas.

Both in the rural development programmes and through the Leader Community Initiative, the Commission is proposing a number of measures on environmental protection appropriate for mountain regions.

In addition, the Commission has asked the Member States to ensure that sites constituting natural habitats or home to species of Community interest are proposed for the Natura 2000 network; the alpine biogeographic region is particularly concerned. Most of these sites have been identified and it is up to the Member States to establish management methods.

Concerning the integrated development of river basins, the recently adopted Water Framework Directive(5) has, as one of its main themes, the objective of water management by river basin, which is considered the natural hydrological and geographical unit for water management and protection. The best successes have been achieved where the combined efforts and cooperation of all bordering countries and regions have been harnessed, as is the case for the River Rhine.

(1) OJ C 53 E, 20.2.2001.

(2) OJ C 151 E, 22.5.2001, p. 54.

(3) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001, p. 47.

(4) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 19.

(5) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (OJ L 327, 22.12.2000).