WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3830/97 by María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ to the Commission. Urban development in the wetlands of Gandía - Xeresa - Xeraco
Date: 1997-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, SORNOSA MARTINEZ
Subjects: Community of Valencia, EU financing, EU programme, building industry, countryside conservation, humid zone, stagnant water

8. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174/141

(98/C 174/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3830/97

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

(28 November 1997)

Subject: Urban development in the wetlands of Gand(cid:14)·a › Xeresa › Xeraco

These Gand(cid:14)·a › Xeresa › Xeraco Wetlands (Inventory of Wetlands in the Community of Valencia) are currently
being threatened by the development project being promoted by Rusticas, S.A. under Article 20 of Law 4/92, of 5
June, on land deemed not for development. The project involves the construction of a hotel complex and a golf
course.

The petition (EXPE.662/97) sent to COPUT (Department of Public Works, Urban Development and Transport)
was  considered  by  the  Municipal  Council  in  Gand(cid:14)·a  which,  in  a  letter  dated  12  September  1997,  asked  this
Department  to  suspend  temporarily  the  hearing  to  enable  the  claims  to  be  put  forward  regarding  the  lack  of
necessary documentation in this case.

Despite the irregularities of the case, the project infringes Articles 6 and 9 of Law 4/92 mentioned above, which
establish, respectively, the authority and duties of the owners of land deemed not for development subject to
special protection, and the regulation of construction, development and exploitation carried out. It also infringes
Law  11/94,  of  27  December,  on  the  Protected  Natural  Areas  of  the  Valencian  Generalitat  and  Directive
92/43/EEC (1) on the conservation of natural habitats, and, specifically, wetlands.

Can the Commission ask the COPUT for the case file and, subject to its findings, ask that the project be

1.
cancelled if it infringes Directive 92/43/EEC?

2.
Can the Commission, within its powers, and taking into account the problems caused by declassifying a
number  of  wetlands  of  major  ecological  importance,  ask  the  Valencian  Department  of  the  Environment  to
complete a list of wetlands for special protection areas, as provided for in the Community of Valencia(cid:146)s own
legislation, in Law 11/94?

(1)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(16 December 1997)

Given that the Xeraco Wetlands is one of the areas included in the (cid:145)Conservation of wetlands and creation
1.
of a reserve network for Valencia hispanica(cid:146) project, which receives Community funding within the framework
of  the  Life  Nature  programme,  the  Commission  has  approached  the  Valencian  Generalitat  administration,
beneficiaries of the contract, requesting more information on this subject.

The Department of the Environment informed the Commission that it only had official news on the subject. Final
approval  of  this  project  must  be  preceeded  by  a  positive  assessment  of  its  impact  by  that  Department.  This
procedure has not yet begun.

The Commission does not have the authority to request the Valencian Department of the Environment to

2.
compile a list of wetlands.

The Department of the Environment has, however, informed the Commission that the procedure for approving
this list, by the Valencian administration, is to begin shortly.

(98/C 174/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3838/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(28 November 1997)

Subject: Seismic protection in Greece and the high cost of new projects

Greece is known to be the country most prone to earthquakes in the European Union. Accordingly the new Greek
Seismic  Protection  Regulation  (NEAK)  drawn  up  by  the  Greek  Ministry  of  Regional  Planning,  Housing