(2004/C58E/180) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2409/03
byJean-LouisBernié(EDD)totheCommission
(16July2003)
Subject:Natura2000/dashlocalopposition
NotificationofnumerousNatura2000sitestookplacewithoutofficialpriorconsultationoftheusersand
managersofthelandconcerned;furthermore,whenconsultationhadtakenplace,asinFrance,withlocalauthorities only, in most cases the latter expressed broad opposition to the classification (e.g. 84%oppositioninLoire-Atlantique).
However,noneoftheMemberStategovernmentdepartmentsinchargeofthisproceduretookanynotice
ofthisopposition.
CantheEuropeanCommissionstilltakeaccountofthisopposition,inthelightinteraliaofthenewly
adoptedAarhusConvention,aspartoftheongoingselectionprocedureforNatura2000sites,andifso,how?
WilltheCommissionincludeasiteinthelistofsitesofCommunityimportancedespiteclearopposition
onthepartoflocalactors?
Ifso,bywhatlegalmeanscanthelattercontesttheclassification?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(22August2003)
Directive92/43/EC(
1)clearlymakestheMemberStatesresponsiblenotjustfordesignatingNatura2000
sites, but for managing them, too. The Commission is working to encourage the development ofmanagementplansastoolsforsuitableprotectivesitemanagement,asaframeworkforassessingwhetherdifferenttypesofusearecompatiblewithconservationobjectivesandasameansofensuringthatthe
main interest groups affected by a site’s designation participate actively in management decisions, as
providedforbytheAarhusConvention.ConsiderableprogresshasbeenmadeinthisrespectduringtheimplementationoftheNatura2000network.Therearemanypositiveinstancesoftheinitialconcernsoflocalcommunities,notablyownersandusers,beingsettledthankstotheformulationofmanagementplansbasedonbroaddialogueatlocallevel.
MemberStates’proposalsareexaminedinatransparentmanneratscientificseminarsorganisedbythe
CommissionandsupportedbytheEuropeanEnvironmentAgency.MemberStates,expertsrepresentingtheinterestsofownersandusers,andenvironmentalnon-governmentalorganisations(NGOs)alltakepartintheseseminars,thusprovidinginputintotheCommission’sdecision-making.
AstheCommissionseesit,theAarhusConvention’sobligationsregarding publicparticipationdonot
extend to the decisions taken in adopting site lists. Article 8 of the Convention, using non-bindinglanguage,recommendsthatthePartiesstrive‘topromoteeffectivepublicparticipationatanappropriatestage, and while options are still open, during the preparation by public authorities of executiveregulationsandothergenerallyapplicablelegallybindingrulesthatmayhaveasignificanteffectontheenvironment.’
TheprocessdescribedabovehelpspreparethegroundfortheCommission’sdecisionintermsoffactual
analysis,but,byitsverynature,thedecisiontheCommissionhastotakeregardingsitesofCommunityimportancehastobebasedontheselectioncriterialaiddowninAnnexIIItotheHabitatsDirectiveandonrelevantscientificinformation.Noprovisionismadeforpublicparticipation.
TheDirectivedoesnotspecifywhatformofconsultationMemberStatesaretoadoptwhenselectingthe
sitestheyintendtopropose.Accordingly,procedureshavevariedconsiderablyfromoneMemberStatetoanotherdependingontheirconstitutionalandadministrativearrangements.Insomecases,identificationof6.3.2004EN C58E/167 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
siteshasgonehandinhandwithadetaileddiscussionofmanagementmeasureswithownersandusers,
while in others there has been virtually no consultation of interested parties. This has caused muchcontroversyinsomeMemberStates,promptingaseriesofadministrativeandlegaldifficultieswhichhavedelayedthesubmissionofproposals.
Itshouldnonethelessbenotedthatlandownersandlocalrepresentatives inevitably considerthe local
interestsofasite,oreveninterestsnotdirectlyrelatedtotheconservationofhabitats.Communitylists,ontheotherhand,arecompiledwithaneyetotheEuropeanconservationinterest,whichmaybedifferent
fromthelocalinterest.ItfallsprimarilytotheauthoritiesoftheMemberStatestostrikeabalancebetween
whataresometimesdivergentinterests.TheCommission,meanwhile,isobligedbyDirective92/43/ECtorefersolelytothecriteriaspecifiedinthatDirective.
(1) CouncilDirective92/43/EECof21May1992ontheconservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora,
OJL206,22.7.1992.
(2004/C58E/181) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2417/03
byEskoSeppänen(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(21July2003)
Subject:Banningtheuseoftar
TherehasbeenabigdebateintheFinnishmediaconcerningamatterwhichasfarasIknowdoesnot
evenfallwithintheCommission’scompetence.IthasbeenallegedthattheCommissionisbanningtheuseoftar.TarisanaturalproductwhichatonetimewasanimportantsourceofprosperityandwellbeingformanypeopleinFinlandandwhichispreparedusinglong-standingtraditionalmethods.OnwhatgroundsdoestheCommissionproposetobantheuseoftarforanypurpose(includingcaulkingboats,etc.)andwhatisthelegalbasisfortheproposedban?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(11September2003)
TheCommissionwouldliketodrawtheattentionoftheHonourableMembertothefactthatthereare
differenttypesoftarincludingcoaltarandwoodtar,whichareproducedbydistillationofcoalandwoodrespectively.Itistherefore,strictlyspeaking,notcorrecttorefertothemasnaturalproducts.Inaddition,itiswellknownthattarscontainalargenumberofverydangeroussubstances,inparticularcarcinogenicsubstances,suchaspolycyclicaromatichydrocarbons(PAH).
Inhisquestion,theHonourableMemberisprobablyreferringtowoodtar,andmorespecificallypinetar,
whichisproducedbydrydistillationofpinewoodandisusedforthepurposeofwoodpreservation.
WoodpreservativesareregulatedbyDirective98/8/ECoftheParliamentandtheCouncilof16February
1998ontheplacingofbiocidalproductsonthemarket(
1).Amongotherthings,theDirectiveestablishes
thatonlyauthorisedbiocidalproductsmaybeplacedonthemarketandusedandthatonlyproductscontainingactivesubstanceslistedinAnnexIorIAoftheDirectivecanbeauthorised.Foranactivesubstancetobelisted,acomprehensivedossierhastobesubmittedthatallowstheevaluationofallriskstohumanhealthandtheenvironmentposedbythesubstance.
TheDirectiveforeseesthatduringa10-yeartransitionperiod,allexistingactivesubstances(i.e.those
alreadyonthemarketinbiocidesatthedateofentryintoforceoftheDirective)willhavetobeevaluatedwithregardtotheirsafetyforhumanhealthandtheenvironment.AccordingtoRegulation(EC)No1896/2000of7September2000onthefirstphaseoftheprogrammereferredtoinArticle16(2)ofDirective98/8/EC(
2),existingactivesubtanceshadtobeidentifiedby28March2002,andthosewhichoperators
wouldliketohaveincludedinAnnexIorIAoftheDirectivehadtonotifythembythesamedate.Altogetherabout950substanceshavebeenidentified(amongthemalsopinetar)andabout400notified.C58E/168 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion