WRITTEN QUESTION E-0183/00

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2000)

Subject: Pollution of the ground water in various regions of Greece

According to recent Greece press reports, the ground water in a number of regions of Greece, and in particular in the plains of Thessaly, Ilia, Messinia and Thessaloniki, contains concentrations of nitrates far above the permitted limit.

Will the Commission say whether it is aware of the pollution of the ground water in the above regions, what the probable consequences of concentrations of nitrates above the permitted limit are and whether Greece has implemented Community Directive 91/676(1) and adopted codes of sound agricultural practice and an action programme, as required by the Directive, to prevent the nitrification of the ground water?

(1) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2000)

The Commission is aware of the pollution problems caused by agricultural nitrogen (intensive crop growing, livestock farming) in groundwater and certain lakes, dams and closed bays (eutrophication) in Greece. An excess of nitrates in groundwater can adversely affect childrens' health, when they are transformed into nitrites in well water or in the digestive system (infant cyanosis). Nitrites are also thought to be carcinogenic when they react with the digestive juices. Nitrates, when they pass from groundwater into surface waters and the sea, cause eutrophication (undesirable development of algae and plankton).

Greece very belatedly (1997) transposed Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and has just (1999) designated seven vulnerable zones where the groundwater is contaminated, while acknowledging that other zones should be designated. As yet, no official action programmes have been established for any of the designated zones.

Since 1995 a very localised programme (30 000 hectares of cotton) to reduce nitrogenous fertilisation, approved by the Commission, has been operating in Thessaly under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of the protection of the environment and the maintenance of the countryside(1). The results are promising, and this could inspire future action programmes in nitrate vulnerable zones.

The Commission, noting that the national measures implementing Directive 91/676/EEC communicated by the Greek authorities did not conform to the Directive, decided to take the matter to the Court of Justice on 22 December 1999. The Commission emphasised Greece's failure to establish good codes of agricultural practice, insufficient monitoring of the eutrophication of surface water and failure to establish action programmes for the designated vulnerable zones.

It should also be noted that codes of good agricultural practice must be applied in both nitrate vulnerable zones and in zones covered by Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations(2).

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.