WRITTEN QUESTION P-2614/00

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Building project at Is Arenas, Sardinia, Italy

The Commission has sent Italy a letter of formal notice for alleged infringement of Directives 85/337/EEC, 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC in connection with a project to build a holiday village in a site of Community interest at Is Arenas (Narbolia), Sardinia. Housing estates, roads, golf courses, car parks and show homes have already been built there without an environmental impact assessment being carried out. However, the Region of Sardinia has not yet taken steps to clean up the areas concerned and prevent further deterioration in the habitat. The water requirements of the golf courses are threatening the groundwater on the site and hence the woodland. At the same time, the woodland is suffering the effects of the prolonged drought afflicting the island and the Region of Sardinia recently asked the Italian Government to declare a national disaster. During the visit to the area by Mr Bordon, the Environment Minister, on 26 June 2000, the Regional Authorities, represented by the councillor responsible for the environment Minister Pani, declared its willingness to carry out an environmental impact assessment of the project. However, the Regional Government does not yet have an environmental impact assessment office, nor has it ever carried out any environmental impact assessments of other building projects submitted. Hence no guarantees can be given that the procedure will be carried out correctly and impartially. Furthermore, the region has not expressed any views on the impact of works already carried out in that location. In the meantime, according to the daily newspaper La Nuova Sardegna, of 29 June, the company Is Arenas srl is willing to go to court to prevent the environmental impact assessment which would stand in the way of its project being carried out.

Can the Commission ensure that the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will apply to the entire building project, not just part of it, as recently claimed by the region itself, which has tried to exclude the first hotel, which will have 300 beds, from the procedure?

Can it ensure that the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will take account of damage caused by projects already completed, in particular the golf courses? Can it ensure that the necessary measures will be taken to clean up the site?

Can it ensure that the general public will be consulted and that consideration will be given to alternative projects and/or locations?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(3 October 2000)

In general, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure which covers only parts of a project and which does not provide information to and involve consultation of the public is not in line with Community law on EIA (Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment(1) and Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997(2), amending Directive 85/337/EEC).

As regards questions concerning environmental damage and clean-up measures, the Honourable Member is kindly requested to refer to the reply to the Honourable Member's written question E-1038/2000(3).

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) OJ C 89 E, 20.3.2001.