WRITTEN QUESTION E-1716/96 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (25 June 1996)

Subject: Use of Community funds for a holiday village in Calabria

Under the terms of Order in Council No 44, issued on 17 January 1992, the Calabrian regional authorities decided to grant a contribution of Lit 3 150 m in Community funds, pursuant to Law 64/86, to be used by Mare Azzurro S.R.L. to build a 125 000 m2 holiday village in Capo Bruzzano, commune of Bianco (Reggio Calabria). While the building work was taking place, the village was distrained by order of the Locri judges because the town-planning laws had been infringed and the mandatory permit, attesting the environmental acceptability of the project, had not been obtained. In an attempt to have the distress order reversed, the owners of the company requested the Calabrian regional authorities to rectify the irregularity by issuing the permit, and the authorities duly did so by virtue of Order in Council No 27 of 16 January 1995. Their action, however, was contrary to Regional Law No 12/93 imposing a moratorium until 24 November 1996 on permits for building works to be carried out as is the case with the site in question in coastal areas within 700 m of the water-line. Furthermore, on 24 January 1996 the local authority issued a decision confirming its approval of the building plan. Capo Bruzzano is the only unspoiled headland on the Ionian coast of Reggio Calabria: as yet it has no human settlement, its archaeological and environmental features are unique, and it adjoins the Aspromonte National Park (from whose boundaries it has inexplicably been excluded). What is more, it is totally unsuitable to build upon, because of the severe hydrogeological deterioration to which it is prone (as a result of intensive deforestation) and which has even made it necessary to close the S.S 106, the trunk road that crosses the locality.

What steps will the Commission take to ensure that Community funds do not serve to jeopardize the environmental protection required in the general interest? As far as this specific case is concerned, does it not believe that it should make representations to the national and regional governments with a view to ensuring that the environment of the whole area is properly protected?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (2 October 1996)

The operation in question was not funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Pursuant to Regional Law No. 13 of 23 March 1995, the company Mare Azurro s.r.l. submitted the project in question to the Calabrian regional authorities on 19 December 1988 within the context of aid available to the tourism sector with a view to obtaining a contribution from public funds. This project was included in the regional development plan through regional ruling No. 3734(b) of 14 June 1996.

The president of the regional council issued a decree governing the details of the construction work and granting a financial contribution under Italian Law No. 64/86 on 17 January 1992.

The Commission has investigated whether the site mentioned has been classified as a special protection area under the terms of Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds or proposed as a candidate site of Community importance under the terms of Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. This investigation gave negative results. The Commission then further checked whether the site would qualify for one of the two designations above, again obtaining a negative result.