WRITTEN QUESTION No. 249/99 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS Port of Lavrion
Date: 1999-02-12
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: Central Greece, EU aid, archaeology, coastal protection, economic infrastructure, harbour installation, heritage protection, location of industry, oil industry, urban area













EUR-Lex - 91999E0249 - EN






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91999E0249

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 249/99 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS Port of Lavrion  


Official Journal C 325 , 12/11/1999 P. 0096 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0249/99by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission(12 February 1999)Subject: Port of LavrionThe EU is jointly funding the development of tourist and commercial facilities at the port of Lavrion to operate as a complement to the port of Piraeus.An industrial area has been created next to the port of Lavrion which, provided the Lavrion local authorities agree, offers facilities for setting up craft firms and industries causing only low to medium levels of pollution. Among the investors applying for authorisation to set up are companies intending to trade in petroleum products (Lavroil Ltd., Aegean Oil Ltd.) which aim to install 15 oil tanks in the industrial area in or close to the port.The Lavrion local authorities recently approved these investments, mainly on the grounds that they cover the port of Lavrion's needs for supplies. However, there is no evidence in the study of these two investments of any aim to meet those needs; on the contrary, the port is to be used for the needs of the companies which intend to take delivery of petroleum products by sea and distribute them on the internal market.The installations concerned are located:- in the vicinity of classified antiquities (recent monuments)- only 4 km from the archaeological site of Sounion- 2 km from the archaeological site of Thorikos- in the immediate vicinity of residential areas- at the very edge of the Sounion National Parkand one of the sites is in a coastal area which the planning permission study for the industrial area designates a "coastal protection area"In view of the above, will the Commission say:1. whether it accepts the necessary finance - and the works taking place - being used as justification for setting up installations which are particularly damaging to the environment in an important historical, natural and residential environment, and2. whether it will intercede with the relevant authorities to clear up the misunderstanding which is tarnishing the project and EU funding in order to come to an arrangement based on sound and balanced management of this sensitive area?Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission(15 March 1999)Under the Attiki multifund operational programme of the 1994-99 Community support framework for Greece the Community is financing solely a range of infrastructure works for development of the port of Lavrio. The aid is EUR 5,5 million.As far as installations around the port are concerned, the Commission can act only if they are prohibited under environmental requirements pertaining to construction of the port or their creation violates Community law on environmental matters.At the moment the Commission lacks the necessary information to decide whether either of the above cases applies. It will seek full details of the situation from the Greek authorities.