WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2432/97 by Xaver MAYER to the Commission. Use of alternative raw materials for the production of yeast - reduction of pollution
Date: 1997-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, MAYER XAVER
Subjects: by-product, common agricultural policy, common organisation of markets, food industry, industrial pollution, molasses, price reduction, production refund, substitute product, sugar

C 82/74

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 3. 98

(98/C 82/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2425/97

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) to the Commission

(11 July 1997)

Subject: EU funding of the Costa del Sol motorway from Ma·laga to Estepona (Spain)

The Spanish authorities have planned the construction of a motorway through the densely populated Sitio de
Calahonda. Some 18 000 people live in the area, 80% of whom are nationals of EU countries other than Spain.
According to representatives of the residents(cid:146) association the building of the motorway is opposed particularly
widely among the non-Spanish residents. In the debate in the Spanish media it has been claimed that the road will
not be built, as planned, with private funds but that an application will be made for EU resources for the project.
This  application  is  said  to  be  founded  on  the  argument  that  foreign  holiday  residents  in  the  area  need  better
transport connections. However, a majority of residents do not consider that this argument is true.

In the light of the above, how does the Commission propose to react to Spain(cid:146)s application for the funding of this
road › should it in fact make such an application › in view of the fact that the non-Spanish majority of residents
in the area nevertheless opposes its construction?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 1997)

The Commission has not at this date received an application for financial assistance from the European regional
development fund or the Cohesion fund or other Community financial instrument for the section of the (cid:145)Costa del
Sol(cid:146) motorway in Spain which is referred to in the question, namely, that running through Calahonda.

If such an application were to be received from the Spanish authorities, the Commission would consider it on its
merits in the same way as any other request for assistance from these Funds. The eligibility of the project in
question  under  the  terms  of  the  relevant  regulations  would  be  assessed,  as  well  as  its  compliance  with
Community  policies  and  legislation  currently  in  force,  in  particular  those  concerning  transport,  public
procurement  and  the  environment.  It  may  be  noted  that  motorway  projects  fall  within  Annex  I  of  Directive
85/337/EEC (1) and, as such, must be the subject of an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

(1)  OJ L 175 of 5.7.1985.

(98/C 82/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2432/97

by Xaver Mayer (PPE) to the Commission

(8 July 1997)

Subject: Use of alternative raw materials for the production of yeast › reduction of pollution

The production of yeast using molasses leaves residues which have to be disposed of. This is partly achieved by
discharging the effluent into local waste water treatment plants. The heavy burden on the purification capacity of
public plants gives rise to costs that are becoming a growing burden on yeast-producing enterprises. A study
carried out by the Institute for the Organization of the Agricultural Market of the Federal Agricultural Research
Establishment in Braunschweig states that the higher the sugar content of the raw material, the lower the effluent
pollution and that, where purer raw materials are used, the biodegradability of the residues is improved. The
study also concludes that the current EU agricultural market rules have an adverse effect on the competitive
position of the yeast industry, since the molasses market is delinked from the world market by a threshold price
and molasses is not eligible for export refunds.