WRITTEN QUESTION E-0927/03

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE), Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE),José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE), Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE)and Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 March 2003)

Subject: Proposed transfer of water from the River Ebro to Barcelona

According to a press release published by Europa Press on 6 March 2003, the European Commission is soon to approve cofinancing for the Catalonia mini-transfer (diversion of water from the River Ebro to metropolitan Barcelona).

The Catalonia mini-transfer, which is also known as the Interconexión de Redes CAT-ATLl (interconnection of the water supply systems for Tarragona and Ter Llobregat) is the first step in the process of water transferral from the Ebro to Catalonia's internal river basins, and will constitute the first section of all the Ebro transfers envisaged under the Spanish National Hydrological Plan. Presenting it as an interconnection of the water supply systems for Tarragona and Ter Llobregat is unjustified from a technical standpoint, given its hydrological and geometric characteristics, and circumvents the environmental and economic checks on all transfers from the Ebro.

This plan for the interconnection of water supply systems, which the Government of the Autonomous Region of Catalonia made available to the public in August 2002, is not yet a consolidated plan since the 40 000 complaints submitted by various organisations still have to be resolved. Once this has been done, a definitive plan would have to be drawn up, with this being the plan that could in principle receive Community funding.

1. Can the Commission indicate whether the press release published by Europa Press is accurate?

2. If it is accurate, how is it that the Commission can authorise the cofinancing of a project for which the administrative approval process has not yet been completed?

3. Is the Commission aware that neither a section-by-section environmental impact study nor a global study have been carried out for this interconnection plan?

4. Does the Commission not feel that it should have at its disposal a joint global assessment that takes into account the impact of the various projects to transfer water north and south from the lower reaches of the River Ebro before authorising cofinancing for them?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

The Commission has not yet taken a decision on the project Conexión de las redes regionales de abastecimiento de agua potable del CAT y ATLL (Interconnection of the water supply systems for Tarragona and the Ter-Llobregat), as this project is still in the study phase. All decisions approving support for projects under the Cohesion Fund must respect the requirements of the Regulation as well as with all relevant Community legislation.

The Spanish authorities have informed the Commission that they consider that this project falls under the exceptions set out in annex II of Council Directive No 85/337/CEE of 27 June 1985, on assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment(1), as amended by Council Directive No 97/11/EC(2), and, accordingly,

an environmental impact assessment is not required. Furthermore, within the same analysis, the authorities have concluded that the project does not directly or indirectly affect, either for its characteristics or its location, any area of natural or cultural interest or any protected area included in Natura 2000.

In accordance with the Regulation, the Commission examines projects submitted for financing of the Cohesion Fund on an individual basis and on its own merits.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.