WRITTEN QUESTION P-0689/03

by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 March 2003)

Subject: Report on the National Hydrological Plan (Spain)

During the latest debate on the NHP held in the EP's Committee on Petitions, the Commission's representative informed us about two important issues the forthcoming meeting to be held by the Commission with Spanish government officials to discuss possible inconsistencies in the NHP as regards Community law, and the detailed study they were carrying out on the report commissioned from a group of scientists at the University of Berkeley (California).

Can the Commission say whether it was involved in the decision to request this report and in choosing the American experts who drew it up? Does it know that a client and contact of the experts is Amalio Garrido, representing the local government of Murcia in Brussels?

If so, does it know whether, during their trip to Spain (last June) designed to find out people's views on the spot, the experts had contacts with any Spanish scientists who oppose the NHP? Did the experts have any contact with the representatives of the Fundación Nueva Cultura del Agua, a platform for the defence of the river Ebro, or with any other representative of the communities affected who attended the meeting which the delegation from Parliament's Committee on the Environment held recently in Deltebre?

Joint answerto Written Questions P-638/03, P-0653/03 and P-0689/03given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2003)

Contrary to what might be said in the report, the Commission did not request the formation of a team or the production of a report.

There are many divergent statements, opinions, claims and counter claims concerning the Spanish hydrological plan in general and the proposed Ebro transfer in particular. The volume of material, which exists on this subject, is immense. In contacts with the Spanish officials and others, the Commission raised the possibility of an independent assessment being carried out in order to try and reconcile some of the divergent positions. Given the experience with

inter-basin transfers in the United States and the similarities which exist between the parts of South-East Spain and the Western United States, it was thought that American experts might be able to provide a valuable insight into some of the key issues associated with the proposed Ebro transfer.

The Commission provided the names of prominent American experts but was not involved in the decision to establish a team of experts nor in the choice of the experts. The Commission did not have any direct contact with the experts and was not involved in their investigation although it was informed of its status on a regular basis. The Commission advised that the experts be given access to a wide selection of material concerning the proposed Ebro transfer, including not only official documents but also reports from non-governmental organisations, academics and others that had raised concerns in relation to the proposed transfer. The Commission also advised that the report be made public and widely accessible.

The idea of an independent investigation was very strongly supported by Mr Amalio Garrido from the region of Murcia. It is understood that Mr Garrido has an unpaid position as a Commissioner for sustainable development with the regional government in Murcia. He also represents a municipal drinking water supply company in the Murcia region. The information and advice referred to above was provided to Mr Garrido. The host organisation for the commissioning and execution of the study was the University of Cartagena in Murcia.