WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1566/97 by Johanna MAIJ-WEGGEN , Jan SONNEVELD to the Commission. National implementation of the nitrate directive
Date: 1997-05-06
Institutions: European Parliament, MAIJ-WEGGEN, SONNEVELD
Subjects: EC Directive, EU Member State, chemical salt, national implementing measure, pollution control, pollution control measures, pollution from agricultural sources, surface water













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91997E1566

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1566/97 by Johanna MAIJ-WEGGEN , Jan SONNEVELD to the Commission. National implementation of the nitrate directive  


Official Journal C 391 , 23/12/1997 P. 0100 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1566/97 by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) and Jan Sonneveld (PPE) to the Commission (6 May 1997)Subject: National implementation of the nitrate directiveCan the Commission indicate how the various EU Member States have acted on, or are intending to act on, the European Union's nitrate directive?In particular, can the Commission state whether for each Member State there is a single implementation scheme applicable to the entire territory of the Member State in question, or whether there is a differentiated approach in certain Member States?If a differentiated approach has been adopted in certain Member States, can the Commission state what form this takes; for example, by region, soil type or problem area (depending on the amount of nitrate in the soil)?Does the Commission have any plans to submit a paper in the near future on the various national implementation schemes, and when can we expect such a paper?Joint answer to Written Questions E-1566/97 and E-1744/97 given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (19 June 1997)The transposition of Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources into national laws has been completed by all Member States except Belgium, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Finland.Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Austria, have designated the whole of their territory according to Article 3(5) of the Directive. Ireland considers that it does not have any areas of its territory that should be designated as vulnerable zones. Sweden and the United Kingdom have completed their designations of vulnerable zones. In the remaining Member States designations have not been completed.Codes of good agricultural practice, or their equivalent, covering the whole of their territory have been received from all Member States except Belgium, Portugal and Spain. Action programmes have been received from Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg and Sweden. In Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg the measures cover the whole of the territory. Sweden's measures just apply in the vulnerable zones.The Commission is highly dissatisfied with the present state of implementation in most Member States and is currently taking all measures available to it, including the use of proceedings under Article 169 EC Treaty in all cases where these are justified.The Commission intends to fulfil its obligations under the Directive to produce two reports, one summarising the information supplied by Member States, and another on the implementation of the Directive. It is envisaged that these will be produced by the end of this year.