WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2544/97 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Pollution of the Gulf of Volos
Date: 1997-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: Greece, dangerous substance, domestic waste, environmental protection, infringement of EU law, marine pollution, pollution from agricultural sources, pollution from ships, public health, tourism

C 102/56

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 1997)

SAVE  and  Altener  are  two  programmes,  complementary  to  the  Joule-Thermie  research  and  development
programme, dealing with the promotion of energy efficiency and of the use of renewable energy sources in the
Community.

Their main objectives are to facilitate the penetration of energy efficiency concepts and the use of renewable
energy sources in the market in order to reduce fossil energy consumption. Both programmes support a large
number  of  information  activities  in  close  collaboration  with  the  national  authorities  and  the  national  energy
agencies which play an important role in the dissemination of results of all actions supported by the programmes.

All European citizens and the European industry have free access, through the Internet Cordis database, to the
results of 290 SAVE projects concerning energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport and 109 Altener
projects concerning all sectors of renewables.

(98/C 102/79)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2544/97

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 July 1997)

Subject: Pollution of the Gulf of Volos

The pollution of the Gulf of Volos is not a new phenomenon. This Gulf constitutes one of the most important
coastal ecosystems in Greece, and its ecological balance is being threatened by pollution from phytoplankton,
phosphates, heavy metals, nitrates and petroleum hydrocarbons due to herbicides, urban waste, waste from ships,
etc. Apart from the very serious ecological consequences of this pollution, it also poses a health threat to local
people and affects tourism and a series of professions directly dependent on tourism and the sea.

In  its  answer  to  a  previous  question  (H-0539/94) (1)  the  Commission  had  stated  that,  given  that  a  number  of
Community directives were being violated, it had initiated proceedings against Greece, notably in respect of its
failure to comply with certain obligations under Directive 76/464/EEC (2). In view of the gravity of the situation
and the reappearance of large amounts of phytoplankton in the region, will the Commission say what progress
has been made in the initiatives it has taken against Greece and what results have been achieved?

(1)  Minutes of sittings of European Parliament, No 4-452, (October 1994).
(2)  OJ L 129, 18.5.1976, p. 23.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 1997)

On 5 July 1995, under Article 169 of the EC Treaty, the Commission brought an action against Greece before the
Court of Justice (Case C-233/95) for improper application of Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused
by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment.

More  specifically,  the  Commission  considers  that  Greece  has  failed  to  establish  the  requisite  clear-up
programmes to reduce the pollution of the Gulf of Volos by substances appearing in List II of the Directive, and
that it has also failed to take steps to subject any discharges containing those substances to prior authorisation.

Now that the procedural phase of the Case is over, the Court’s judgment can be expected within the next few
months.