WRITTEN QUESTION No. 537/98 by José APOLINÁRIO to the Commission. Funding of BICs
Date: 1998-03-04
Institutions: APOLINARIO, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, business start-up, consultancy, innovation, services company

C 310/80

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

9. 10. 98

(98/C 310/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0536/98

by Giuseppe Rauti (NI) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: Prevention of severe damage to the environment in Porto Corsini, Ravenna

In the region of Porto Corsini (Ravenna) signatures are being collected for various petitions protesting against
threatened severe damage to the ecology of this area and in particular to the belt of pine-wood known as the
Pineta Staggioni on the north side of Porto Corsini.

What action does the Commission intend to take to ensure compliance with the EEC environmental constraint
(SIC-BIO-Italy IT No 47.000005)?

Given that the Pineta Staggioni is subject to an environmental constraint, that the Council of Europe and the
European  Union  have  been  continually  monitoring  the  problem  and  cooperating  in  the  conservation  of  this
exceptionally beautiful ecological area and that the threatened change in the regional landscaping plan would
immediately involve, inter alia, the felling of at least 2400 pine trees, many of which are hundreds of years old, is
the Commission prepared to take urgent measures?

In addition to the EEC environmental constraint (SIC-BIO-Italy No 47.000005), it should be pointed out that the
Pineta Staggioni is also scheduled for inclusion in the Po Delta park and that there are plans to request economic
aid for that park from the European Union. The refusal of such aid, if 2400 pine trees were felled in the Pineta
Staggioni and the environmental constraint imposed on it at present were not observed, might also be a deterrent.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1998)

The site of (cid:145)Pineta di Casalborsetti, Pineta Staggioni, Duna di Porto Corsini(cid:146), has been proposed by Italy as a site
of Community importance in the framework of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1).

Article  6  sets  the  rules  to  be  followed  in  order  to  assess  the  coherence  of  a  plan  with  the  objectives  of  the
directive. This article has been transposed in the Italian legislation through presidential decree 08/09/97 No 357.

In  order  to  assess  compliance  with  the  Community  legislation,  the  Commission  has  requested  further
information from the Italian authorities.

(1)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(98/C 310/106)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0537/98

by Jose· Apolina·rio (PSE) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: Funding of BICs

Can the Commission say what the outlook is for the future funding of BICs (Business Innovation Centres) in the
financing period 2000-2006?

To what extent is the continued existence of these information structures guaranteed?

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

(8 April 1998)

Business  and  innovation  centres  (BICs)  are  not  organisations  for  information  but  provide  business  advisory
services for the creation and development of innovative enterprises. The Commission is currently evaluating the
past  programme  for  the  promotion  of  BICs  in  order  to  determine,  by  mid-1998,  if  and  from  which  financial
source it might be pursued in the future.