WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1753/98 by Anita POLLACK to the Commission. Trapping of wild birds in Catalonia
Date: 1998-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, POLLACK
Subjects: Catalonia, application of EU law, bird, derogation from EU law, hunting regulations, protected species, wildlife

C 13/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.1.1999

(1999/C 13/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1752/98

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(5 June 1998)

Subject: Cost of job creation

In its communication on environment and employment (COM(97) 592 final) the Commission says that in 1996
around 1 500 jobs were created under LIFE projects, at a cost for one fill time job per year of around ECU 30 000.
Does the Commission agree this is an extremely high cost per job and does it have any idea how to make these
jobs more cost effective?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(22 July 1998)

The main aim of Life Nature projects is the protection of natural areas and habitats. Job creation is a secondary,
albeit positive, effect. Cost-effectiveness considerations can thus not apply to the same extent as if measures
without an environmental purpose were carried out.

The figure for the cost of each full time job per year given in box 6 (cid:145)Employment effect of Life Nature projects(cid:146) in
Annex 2 of the communication from the Commission on environment and employment (building a sustainable
Europe) (1) is an average figure based on a relatively small number of projects and was among the findings of the
evaluation of 1996 Life Nature projects. The figure presents an indication rather than the absolute costs in the
field of nature conservation. In addition, these costs only relate to direct jobs and do not take account of indirect
employment effects such as through newly created or expanded tourism activities and rural accommodation. It
should be noted that the location where some of these jobs are being created is important, since Life Nature
projects often provide an opportunity to develop activities in remote places where no other possibilities for job
creation exist.

(1) COM(97) 592 final.

(1999/C 13/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1753/98

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(5 June 1998)

Subject: Trapping of wild birds in Catalonia

Is the Commission aware that at certain times of the year it is permitted in Catalonia to trap small migrant birds by
the use of liming? Is this not unlawful under the Wild Birds Directive?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Hunting with lime is strictly forbidden by Council Directive 79/409/EEC, of 2 April 1979, on the protection of
wild birds (1). Article 8 paragraph 1 reads as follows:

(cid:145)In respect of the hunting, capture or killing of birds under this Directive, Member States shall prohibit the use of
all means, arrangements or methods used for the large-scale or non-selective capture or killing of birds or capable
of causing the local disappearance of a species, in particular the use of those listed in Annex IV(a)(cid:146).

Hunting with lime is listed in Annex IV(a) to the Directive.

The Commission is aware that hunting with lime is still authorized in Catalonia, by means of derogations granted
on the basis of Article 9, paragraph 1, (a) of the Directive. This provision states that Member States may derogate
from the provisions of Article 8, where there is no other satisfactory solution to prevent serious damage to crops.