WRITTEN QUESTION E-2048/01

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE), Torben Lund (PSE),John Bowis (PPE-DE) and Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Vistula river basin as pilot project for the Water Framework Directive

The Vistula river, called the Queen of Polish rivers, is more than 1 000 km long, and its river basin covers 55,7 % of Poland and falls mostly within Polish territory. Its water quality is very poor because of the 10 million cubic meters of sewage and waste that are discharged daily. It starts in heavily-industrialised Upper Silesia, which is one of the most contaminated areas in Europe. It flows through the historic city of Cracow where, thanks to ISPA and EBRD funding, untreated urban wastewater should be a thing of the past by 2005. The Vistula continues between Zawichost and Plock (this section is a breeding area of European importance for rare and endangered birds like stone curlew, common gull, little tern and corncrake). The Vistula flows through the Polish capital Warsaw, where less than 50 % of its wastewater is treated. The river passes through Wloclawek, where the first and so far only dam has been constructed in its middle and lower course. River fragmentation is not a big problem yet in these parts of the Vistula, but the existing dam raises many ecological and social problems. It halts sediment transport (disrupting sediment balance and reducing groundwater resources downstream), precludes fish migration, and increases the risk of winter floods. The Polish Government plans more dams between Warsaw and Gdansk. If built, these dams would mean the end of salmon reproduction in the tributary Drweca and would ruin the ecologically very valuable Vistula valley and estuary having a negative impact on the

Baltic Sea. When Poland becomes a member of the European Union it will have to fulfil the good ecological and chemical status objectives of the Water Framework Directive in all waters by the required deadlines, and achieve integrated river basin management. Poland should also prevent further deterioration of the current ecological and chemical status of all waters. As an EU-Accession country, Poland also has to implement the Habitat Directive, contributing to the establishment of the Natura 2000 network, which is also a requirement of the WFD. This process, which implies the protection of certain habitats and species, has already started in the Vistula river basin. Large parts of the Vistula valley are now considered for designation as Natura 2000 sites, but the process is under threat because of the plans for building new dams.

Will the European Commission, therefore, consider a proposal of assistance to the Polish authorities for a timely implementation of the Water Framework Directive by designating the Vistula river basin as a demonstration project for integrated river basin management (IRBM), to be financed by ISPA and other EU funding? If successful, the Vistula river basin IRBM project could be a model for implementation of the WFD elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Members that the water quality of the Vistula river, as well as the protection of species and habitats, present in that river basin deserve attention. The Commission continues to follow the proposal to build dams on the Vistula very closely.

Within the implementation strategy for the Water Framework Directive, the testing of guidance documents in pilot river basins is foreseen. For this purpose about 10 basins or sub-basins will be selected, both in Member States and Candidate Countries. At present, selection criteria are being developed, to ensure that the chosen basins are representative as well as broadly distributed across Europe. The Vistula river would definitely qualify as a candidate for a pilot river basin. If proposed by the Polish authorities, the Commission would assess the proposal on an equal basis with all other proposals.

As regards Community funding, the Commission would positively consider, under the PHARE programme, a project proposal from the Polish authorities related to the implementation of Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework of Community action in the field of water policy(1). Such a project could include integrated river basin management of the Vistula river.

(1) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.