WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1345/98 by Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , Pedro MARSET CAMPOS , Alonso PUERTA to the Commission. Indications of unsuitable use of EU funds in relation to the Parque Lineal (Madrid, Spain)
Date: 1998-04-29
Institutions: European Parliament, GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, MARSET CAMPOS, PUERTA
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, Spain, decontamination, environmental impact, environmental protection, exchange of information, pollution control measures, use of aid, waste disposal

C 13/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.1.1999

(1999/C 13/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1336/98

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Opposition to further development of nuclear power stations in Lithuania

Could the Commission say whether funding is being given to Lithuania to develop nuclear power and what
funding, if any, is being given towards the exploration of other fuel types?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(2 June 1998)

The Commission informs the Honourable Member that no Community funding is provided to Lithuania to
develop nuclear power, nor is any Community funding being provided towards the exploration of other fuel
types.

The assistance being provided in the nuclear sector by the Community directly or through the European bank for
reconstruction and development (EBRD) nuclear safety account is directed towards improving the safety of the
existing nuclear power plant at Ignalina.

(1999/C 13/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1345/98

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL), Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL)
and Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Indications of unsuitable use of EU funds in relation to the Parque Lineal (Madrid, Spain)

The Parque Lineal del Manzanares in Madrid has suffered since 1985 from the attitudes of the Madrid City
Council: originally a vacant lot, it was earmarked for a projected aqua-park but is now no more than a huge
rubbish-tip and supposed site for the aqua-park. It is an eyesore on the horizon of the surrounding quarters and is
the source of offensive odours.

The local community associations have endeavoured to promote the idea that this site should become a quasi-
rural park which would serve as a focus for community-based economic activities, in a declining area with severe
social problems. After great efforts, they managed to obtain a decision from the Madrid City Council to seek
support from the Cohesion Fund for the rehabilitation of the area within the local integrated redevelopment plan.

The local communities are now concerned over a proposal by the Regional Government of Madrid for the
privatization of the park and its subdivision into lots, to be sold off to profit-making enterprises. They suspect that
behind these speculative activities there lies a substantial EU investment, which may now be siphoned off for
other purposes.

Attempts are being made to strike a deal from which the neighbourhood and environmentalist organizations
would be excluded. This is contrary to the EU(cid:146)s Green Paper on the urban environment and its provisions
concerning the participation of the communities affected by proposals.

1.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

2. What action can the Commission take to ensure that the Spanish authorities apply the Community
environmental legislation, and, in particular, Directive 85/337/EEC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain
public and private projects on the environment?

3.
Can the Commission state whether this project is supported by EU structural interventions? Can the
Commission state whether the Parque Lineal has received any money from the Structural Funds and, if so, for
what purposes?