WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2513/97 by Paul LANNOYE to the Commission. 'Enhancing the landscape of the middle Semois', a project submitted under the LIFE 1994 programme by the Walloon Rural Development Office (OWDR) for the municipality of Bouillon and the Walloon Region
Date: 1997-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, LANNOYE
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, Walloon region (Belgium), aid recipient, countryside conservation, distribution of aid, project evaluation, reparcelling, rural development













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91997E2513

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2513/97 by Paul LANNOYE to the Commission. 'Enhancing the landscape of the middle Semois', a project submitted under the LIFE 1994 programme by the Walloon Rural Development Office (OWDR) for the municipality of Bouillon and the Walloon Region  


Official Journal C 102 , 03/04/1998 P. 0052 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-2513/97 by Paul Lannoye (V) to the Commission (11 July 1997)Subject: 'Enhancing the landscape of the middle Semois', a project submitted under the LIFE 1994 programme by the Walloon Rural Development Office (OWDR) for the municipality of Bouillon and the Walloon RegionAs part of the LIFE 1994 programme, the OWDR submitted a project entitled 'enhancing the landscape of the middle Semois'. The implementation of this project would involve the redevelopment of areas of land in Frahan/Botassart with a view to enhancing the landscape of the valley floor by clearing the coniferous woods and reconstituting hay meadows. As such, this operation had been favourably received both by the local people and by members of the local rural development commission.However, during the public inquiry on this land redevelopment project from 3 May to 3 June 1997, it transpired that the actual plan of work referred to the inquiry was utterly different from the aims and work described in the subsidy application submitted to the Commission under the LIFE scheme.The figures speak for themselves:- Original project submitted to the Commission - total amount: BEF 31 620 000, of which BEF 9 366 500 to be borne by LIFE, the amount to be spent on roadworks being BEF 7 400 000, of which BF 1 850 000 to be borne by LIFE;- project submitted to the inquiry - total amount: BEF 34 333 000, of which BEF 25 883 000 are to be spent on roadworks and car parks. It is specified that the immediate priority is to be given to roadworks costing BEF 24 170 900, 60% of which are to be financed by the Walloon region, 30% by LIFE and 10% by the municipality. Finally, of the BEF 9 366 500 granted to this project by LIFE, BEF 7 251 270 (instead of BEF 1 850 000) would in fact be spent on roadworks, some of which are highly questionable from the environmental point of view.Has the Commission given its agreement to the changes made to the original project? If so, why? If not, what measures does it intend to take to ensure compliance with the original aims of the project?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (15 September 1997)On 7 July 1997 the recipient of the subsidy submitted a request for both the duration and financial plan of the project to be amended. As the information supplied was incomplete, the Commission met with the recipient.It became clear that redistributing the funding would involve major modification of the original plan of work. The Commission therefore asked the recipient to submit a revised plan of work by the end of September 1997.Once it has evaluated this, the Commission will decide whether the project is, firstly, still in line with the 1994 objectives, and then with the aims and procedures of the LIFE programme.The Commission is well aware of the site's protected status. It will accordingly only support such activities as obtain the written approval of the commission for monuments and historic sites.