WRITTEN QUESTION No. 187/99 by Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ Request for aid in connection with forest fires
Date: 1999-02-11
Institutions: European Parliament, SIERRA GONZALEZ
Subjects: Basque Country, Catalonia, EU financing, Spain, fire protection, forest conservation, information, public awareness campaign

C 325/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.11.1999

(1999/C 325/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0187/99

by Angela Sierra González (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Request for aid in connection with forest fires

(11 February 1999)

Spain recently submitted seven applications to the Commission for funding in the course of 1999 to prevent
forest fires, the money to be provided under the regulation on the protection of Community forests against
fire.

What are the basic details of the applications submitted? Which areas of Spain are affected?

Does any of the applications relate to the Canary Islands?

Has the Commission received any application for emergency funds to repair the damage caused by fires which
have occurred in the Canary Islands during the years in which the regulation on the protection of Community
forests against fire has been in force?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 March 1999)

Of the seven funding applications made by Spain under Regulation (EC) 308/97 of 17 February 1997 on
protection of the Community’s forests against fire three are for projects in the Basque Country (aid requested
€1 655 603), one is for a project in Catalonia (aid requested €30 351) and three are for projects proposed by
the Directorate-General for Nature Conservation (aid requested €1 293 822).

The latter three projects are a national information campaign on forest fires, a national terrestrial and aerial
monitoring scheme and a training course for personnel responsible for monitoring and initial intervention.
The Catalan project is a study on protection of forests against fire and the Basque Country projects are a
regional information and education campaign, creation of tracks, firebreaks and water supply points, and a
regional monitoring scheme.

No application relating to the Canary Islands has been made.

(1999/C 325/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0196/99

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission

(11 February 1999)

Subject: Environmental impact of shrimp farming in Asia

In view of the devastating environmental impact of uncontrolled shrimp farming in countries such as
Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh, does the Commission plan any projects to assist shrimp farmers to convert
to the ‘closed’ system which recycles and cleans waste-water and is, hence, less damaging to the environment?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(10 March 1999)

Projects which the Commission is undertaking are rarely directly assisting shrimp farmers. Rather, they try to
address the totality of the coastal area economic, social and environmental situation. An example of such a
project currently under preparation is the coastal habitats and resources management project (CHARM) in
Thailand.

The object of CHARM, for which a preparatory mission will be undertaken during the first half of 1999, is to
develop a sustainable balance between habitat conservation and economic development in the southern
coastal areas of the country.