WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2691/97 by James PROVAN to the Commission. Use of European Regional Development Funds in Sobral, Portugal
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, PROVAN
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, Portugal, aid to agriculture, citrus fruit, clearing of land, grubbing premium, regional aid, road building, use of aid, utilised agricultural area

C 82/128

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 3. 98

(98/C 82/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2682/97

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

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Legal protection of the Marjal del Moro (Valencia)

240 species of bird have been identified in the Marjal del Moro, in Sagunto, Valencia, including some threatened
with total extinction, such as the marbled duck (Marmonetta angustisostris) and the ferruginous duck (Aythya
nyroca). The presence of bitterns, weaver birds and purple gallinules indicates just how important these wetlands
are › all these birds are in danger of becoming extinct in the European Union. Furthermore, the Marjal del Moro
is the most important breeding ground in the Valencian Autonomous Community for the cinammon teal (anas
cyanoptera) and the whiskered tern (chlidonias hybridus).

This  area  is  classified  as  a  (cid:145)Zepa  zone(cid:146)  as  far  as  the  Community  Directive  on  the  protection  of  wild  birds
(79/409/EEC) (1) is concerned, but the administration of the Valencian Autonomous Community is continuing to
drag  its  feet  over  legal  protection  for  the  marshes,  although  the  Sagunto  Town  Council  requested  that  it  be
declared a nature reserve in 1994.

Does the Commission not believe that these valuable wetlands should be made a conservation area by the

1.
administration of the Autonomous Community, which has the requisite legal powers?

Could the Commission approach the Valencian authorities and ask them to speed up the process of having

2.
the area declared to be one which enjoys legal protection?

3. What kind of measures and action could the Commission take to ensure that the Valencian authorities deal
with the legal protection of the Marjal?

(1)  OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 1997)

1.
For  sites  classified  as  special  protection  areas  pursuant  to  Article  4  of  Directive  79/409/EEC  on  the
conservation of wild birds Member States are required to prevent the deterioration of the habitats of the bird
species for which the sites has been classified as well as to avoid significant disturbance of the birds. It is the
responsibility of the Member States to choose the most appropriate legislative, administrative or management
measures  in  order  to  achieve these objectives.  In the  case of Marjal del Moro  in  Sagunto,  Valencia,  it  is the
Spanish national and regional conservation authorities which must decide on the necessary measures to be taken.

The Commission therefore has no reason, at this stage, to approach the regional Valencian authorities to

2.
request them to give a particular protection status to Marjal del Moro under its regional legislation.

3.
However, if the Commission is provided with clear evidence that the protection requirement for this special
protection  area  are  not  being  respected  it  would  be  in  a  position  to  enter  into  discussions  with  the  national
Spanish authorities on the matter.

(98/C 82/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2691/97

by James Provan (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Use of European Regional Development Funds in Sobral, Portugal

It has been drawn to my attention that EU grants are being made twice to people in Sobral, Porches, Portugal;
once for orange-growing subsidies on land recently cleared, and once for the destruction of those new orange
trees to make way for infrastructure development in the form of the new autoroute, the Via Infante de Sagres.

What controls does the Commission employ to ensure that the projects qualifying for ERDF funds are not being
used by the national authorities to pay compensation for land which has already been in receipt of EU subsidy for
other purposes?