WRITTEN QUESTION No. 563/98 by Ernesto CACCAVALE to the Commission. Misuse of funds from the LIFE programme
Date: 1998-03-04
Institutions: CACCAVALE, European Parliament
Subjects: EU programme, Emilia-Romagna, degradation of the environment, environmental protection, freshwater, saltwater, stagnant water, use of aid, water treatment

19. 11. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 354/9

The Commission has sent Parliament its evaluation report for 1997 and its work programme for 1998, together
with an estimate of the cost of these evaluations. With regard to regional policy and the evaluation exercises
launched  by  the  Commission,  this  was  about  ECU  4.5  million  in  1997  and  the  forecast  for  1998  is  of  about
ECU 2.5 million, including work on developing methodologies. With regard to rural development, expenditure
in 1997 was about ECU 450 000.

(98/C 354/12)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0558/98

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: By-pass in Dorset, UK

What approaches has the Commission received from (a) the UK Government and (b) the Dorset County Council
about the proposed route of the Sandford and Halton Heath By-Pass in Wareham, Dorset?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1998)

The Commission has never received any approach from the United Kingdom government or from the Dorset
authorities regarding the Sandford and Halton Heath bypass and the bypass has, therefore, not been considered
for  inclusion  in  the  Community  guidelines  for  the  development  of  the  trans-European  transport  network
(Decision No 1692/96 EC (1)).

(1)  OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(98/C 354/13)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0563/98

by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission

(4 March 1998)

Subject: Misuse of funds from the LIFE programme

In  the  municipality  of  Ravenna  (Italy),  in  a  coastal  area  known  as  Piallassa  Baiona,  close  to  the  Po  Valley
regional park, the local authorities have begun and are proceeding with work, in violation of planning restrictions
and public fishing rights (planning restriction Sic. ZPS.IT 4700004 › Conventions of Berne and Ramsar), and
without  the  authorisation  and  agreement  of  the  relevant  citizens(cid:146)  committee,  on  the  construction  of  an
experimental waste water processing plant for the desalination of the valley which will have harmful effects on
fishing. Given the considerable value of the natural site jeopardised by this work, which is being carried out with
funds obtained under the Community LIFE programme:

›  will the Commission investigate this matter immediately?

›  will it consider the possibility of suspending any funding unduly allocated to this project?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1998)

On the basis of the information available, the experimental green filtering system mentioned by the Honourable
Member is not part of any project financed in the framework of the financial instrument LIFE.

As  far  as  its  potential  impact  on  the  special  protection  area  (SPA)  (cid:145)Piallassa  Baiona(cid:146)  is  concerned,  the
Commission will ask further information of the national authorities.