WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1691/97 by María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ to the Commission. Protecting *El Pouet*, an area of special historic interest in the city of Valencia
Date: 1997-05-20
Institutions: European Parliament, SORNOSA MARTINEZ
Subjects: Community of Valencia, competence of the Member States, expressway, heritage protection, historic site, medieval history, town planning

C 45/82

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10. 2. 98

(98/C 45/99)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1691/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Sornosa Mart(cid:14)·nez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 May 1997)

Subject: Protecting •El Pouet•, an area of special historic interest in the city of Valencia

The general urban planning programme for Valencia includes plans for the route of the North Circular, which
would destroy an area of special historic interest if they were carried out.

Known as (cid:145)El Pouet’, the area in the district of Campanar, Valencia is formed by eight medieval farms, a mill
dating from 1598, one of the last genuine barracas de huerta (thatched farmhouses) and a street plan defined by
the 13th century irrigation network, giving it real historic interest as an example of the medieval settlements of
the huerta region.

When the general programme for Valencia was adopted there was no requirement to carry out an environmental
impact assessment (EIA) in urban planning programmes (the requirement took effect in 1989).

Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects
on the environment stipulates that it must be complied with by 3 July 1988 at the latest, although the project
concerned falls within the list of instances in Annex II to the Directive, in which compliance by the Member
States is optional.

There are reports of EC funding being involved in the work on the North Circular, which is being developed by
the  Ministry  for  Urban  Planning  Development;  if  so,  the  European  Directive  would  appear  to  have  been
infringed.

1.

2.

Have European funds been allocated to the North Circular project?

Could the project be halted or reviewed if funding is confirmed?

If funds have not been allocated, what paths could be pursued under Community law to request a review of

3.
the project?

(1)  OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 1997)

As the Honourable Member is aware, according to Article 128 of the EC Treaty, the protection of the national
historic heritage lies exclusively within the framework of the responsibilities of Member States.

As to the particular questions raised about the destruction of the El Pouet area in the context of the general urban
planning  programme for Valencia, the  Commission  would inform the  Honourable  Member  that according to
information  provided  during  the  meeting  of  the  committee  responsible  for  the  follow-up  of  the  structural
interventions in the region of (cid:145)Communidad Valenciana(cid:146), held on November 1996, the part of the (cid:145)Ronda Norte
de Valencia(cid:146) route was not included for co-financing in the framework of the 1994-1999 operational programme
for this region.

(98/C 45/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1692/97

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

Subject: Counting days at sea as actual fishing days

(20 May 1997)

As  current  Community  law  is  applied,  days  at  sea  on  the  way  to  the  various  fishing  grounds  are  counted  as
fishing  days,  which  results  in  a  substantial  loss  of  actual  fishing  opportunities.  For  example,  Spanish  boats
fishing in Zone VII of the ICES have to make an average journey of three days there and back, which means three
licence days are lost on each trip.

What urgent steps does the Commission propose to take to solve this unfair and serious problem?