WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1475/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Pollution of the River Asopos and the southern Gulf of Evvia
Date: 1998-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, bird, hides and furskins industry, protected species, water pollution, water treatment

11.12.98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 386/135

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1998)

Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(98/C 386/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1475/98

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 May 1998)

Subject: Pollution of the River Asopos and the southern Gulf of Evvia

The Asopos delta is an important wetland in Attica and a (cid:146)staging post(cid:146) for migratory birds. Approximately
140 different species of birds have been recorded in the area, 31 of which are listed in Annex I of Directive
79/409/EEC (1). Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture(cid:146)s Directorate-General for the Protection and Development
of Woodland classifies the area between Oropos and the mouth of the Asopos › 420 hectares › as one of the
regions eligible for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network under the terms of Directive 92/43/EEC (2).

In the broader region of Oinophyta and Schimatario there are around 350 industries (including numerous
chemical plants) which discharge their waste into the Asopos, mostly without any form of biological treatment.
Furthermore, in 1995 the Greek Government decided that an industrial estate for tanneries should be set up at
Daphni, Viotia, also discharging its waste into the Gulf of Evvia together with the waste from the industrial plants
in the Oinophyta › Schimatario area and household sewage from the entire Oropos region.

Given that:

› measurements taken in the sea at the mouth of the Asopos have shown that the sediment contains particularly

high concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper and nickel,

› there are various infringements of Directives 76/464/EEC (3), 76/160/EEC (4), 79/923/EEC (5), 79/409/EEC,

92/43/EEC and Article 6 of Directive 85/337/EEC (6) concerning information to the public,

› licences are issued to industries always provided that waste undergoes biological treatment, which is not

being complied with, and that inspections are practically non-existent,

will the Commission say:

1. whether the Oinophyta › Schimatario industries are operating in accordance with Community law,

2. whether their operating licences are legal and whether the conditions concerning the biological treatment of

waste and its disposal are being observed and verified,

3. whether provision has been made for an environmental impact assessment of the tannery site, with reference

to biological treatment, and whether Community funding has been provided, and

4. what measures it will take in general to ensure that the Asopos and the southern Gulf of Evvia are not treated
as repositories for all kinds of sewage and pollutant waste, that Community directives are respected and that
work is begun on cleaning up the Asopos with the aid of joint funding?

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(3) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976, p. 23.
(4) OJ L 31, 5.2.1976, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 281, 10.11.1979, p. 47.
(6) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.