WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1844/98 by Yves VERWAERDE to the Commission. Financial support for an information campaign to publicize Natura 2000
Date: 1998-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, VERWAERDE
Subjects: EU aid, action programme, communications policy, environmental protection, financial aid, protected area, protected species, protection of animal life, protection of plant life, public awareness campaign

22.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 50/103

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1834/98 and E-1865/98
given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 1998)

In response to the Commission(cid:146)s request for information, Belgium has indicated that its authorities have
investigated the three establishments which are the subject of the complaint mentioned by the Honourable
Member and that they have taken appropriate remedial action where necessary.

As to whether the action taken by the Belgian authorities has adequately ensured that non-compliant establish-
ments now comply with the directive, the Commission will raise the matter once more with Belgium with a view
to gaining the necessary assurances in that respect.

It maybe noted in this connection that the Commission does not at present have any evidence showing that the use
of non-purpose-bred animals is common practice in Belgium. In order to appraise the situation, it will request the
Belgian authorities to inform it of the exemptions issued in pursuance of the directive allowing establishments to
use non-purpose-bred animals.

Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative
provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific
purposes does not include provisions requiring Member States to inform the Commission of the origin of the
animals used for experiments.

(1999/C 50/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1844/98

by Yves Verwaerde (PPE) to the Commission

(12 June 1998)

Subject: Financial support for an information campaign to publicize Natura 2000

Further to Mrs Bjerregaard(cid:146)s answer to my Written Question E-0629/98 (1), I should like precise information
concerning:

› the nature of the communication activities carried out as part of the two projects financed from Item B4-3060

in 1997 in connection with Natura 2000:

› the target public, the number of persons targeted, their nationality, environment (rural or urban),

geographical areas,

› communications media (press, TV, pamphlets, etc.) and frequency,

› amount of the Community subsidies granted respectively to the two projects,

› assessment of the projects after they had been carried out.

(1) OJ C 310, 9.10.1998, p. 106.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 1998)

As part of the call for the submission of proposals for general measures to inform and increase awareness of
environmental problems (1), the Commission in 1997 jointly financed two projects concerning the Natura 2000
programme under budget heading B4-306.

The (cid:145)Green Islands for Natura 2000(cid:146) › European Union for coastal conservation (EUCC) project (subsidy
granted: ECU 90 154) is intended to disseminate good practice concerning nature conservation and local
economic development in coastal areas in connection with Natura 2000. Communication campaigns have been
devised in cooperation with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the local authorities in Germany,
France, the Netherlands, Russia, Albania, the Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The target publics
are the local populations in the coastal areas of those countries, tourists, local elected officials and the public
authorities. Roughly 15 000 persons are directly concerned. The activities consist of a media campaign promoting
green islands, i.e. via press communications, 25-minute documentaries and 10-minute video productions on the
information campaign; (cid:145)Green island presentations(cid:146) to be held in order to make the local populations aware of
rare animal species, the twinning of coastal areas, educational packs, school activities, brochures, exhibitions and
promotional material; developing green island networks by increasing the number of coastal areas involved;