WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3875/98 by Philippe MONFILS to the Commission. Irregularity in the authorisation for the construction of an incinerator at Drogenbos (Belgium)
Date: 1999-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, MONFILS
Subjects: Flanders (Belgium), building permit, environmental impact, environmental protection, infringement of EU law, infringement procedure (EU), location of industry, waste incineration

21.7.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 207/139

The project was conceived right after the Gulf war, under exceptional political, economic and social
circumstances. The main objectives were to provide housing for 2 000 families (about 12 000 people),
create jobs (over 30 000 man-months), inject investment into the depressed Palestinian economy, create a
revolving fund for further housing construction and stimulate a downstream multiplier effect for small
business. The project has achieved results. Over 2 000 apartments have been built and a revolving fund has
been established for further construction. As many as 30 700 man-months of construction works have been
created so far.

A financial audit of the PHC project was made in July 1998. It states that no financial irregularities were found
in the project and that the majority of the objectives of the project have been met (promotion of the housing
development, encouragement of a balanced approach to meet economic and social needs, provision of
employment, stimulation of internal economic and social needs, development of management and financial
skills and administration, and encouragement of training in construction). One of the objectives, namely
keeping the cost of construction very low, was not attained. The financial audit states that no Community
funds should be reimbursed.

(1999/C 207/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3875/98

by Philippe Monfils (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Irregularity in the authorisation for the construction of an incinerator at Drogenbos (Belgium)

During Question Time at the second March 1998 part-session, I asked the Commission (Oral Question
H-0329/98) whether the decision of the Flemish Regional Government to uphold the granting by the Flemish
Brabant Permanent Committee of an environmental permit for the construction of a waste incinerator at
Drogenbos did not violate several European environmental directives. The Commission replied in substance
that a similar complaint had already been submitted and that, if examination of the case confirmed a breach of
Community law, the Commission would be in a position to decide whether it would be appropriate to initiate
an infringement procedure.

Having received no further information, I tabled another question to the Commission (E-3326/98) asking if
the Commission could state whether its investigations had confirmed an infringement and, if so, whether a
decision to initiate the infringement procedure had been taken and what the grounds for such a decision were.

Since I have still not received either a positive or a negative reply, I would now ask the Commission to make
known its decision regarding the initiation of the infringement procedure.

The Commission’s decision is all the more urgent since the Flemish Region has just issued the permit for the
construction of the incinerator.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 1999)

Following the examination of the complaints about the incinerator referred to by the Honourable Member, the
Commission has decided to start infringement proceedings against Belgium pursuant to Article 169 of the EC
Treaty on account of a presumed infringement of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1).

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.