WRITTEN QUESTION No. 611/99 by Carlos PIMENTA Ratification and implementation of the Aarhus Convention by the European Community
Date: 1999-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, PIMENTA
Subjects: Denmark, European Union membership, access to information, access to the courts, environmental protection, ratification of an agreement

21.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 370/71

The choice of publications in which to purchase advertising space would be designed to maximise
3.
national coverage. They would not be chosen by virtue of the extent or nature of their treatment of
Community matters.

(1999/C 370/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0610/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Project in Stemnitsa (Arcadia) as part of the regional operational programme for the Peloponnese

Replying to my Written Question E-2365/98 (1) on the damage which the project in question would cause
to the traditional architecture of the village of Stemnitsa in Arcadia, the Commissioner responsible,
Mrs Wulf-Mathies, stated that:
‘...the procedures for awarding public contracts and for assessing the
environmental impact were followed correctly.’

More recent reports 5 which I believe are now also available to the Commission 5 reveal that this answer
was based on wrong information, because it has emerged that the regional authorities possess documents
revoking all the decisions previously authorising the project. According to the Greek Ombudsman, the
rules governing the municipal road improvement project in Stemnitsa in Gortynia were probably not
followed correctly, since neither a preliminary regional planning authorisation nor an environmental
impact study was carried out, the village which is a listed historical site, will be arbitrarily spoilt and
information submitted for planning the car park turns out to be flawed.

Does the Commission possess any supplementary information which it wishes to divulge? What measures
does it intend to take in view of the above?

(1) OJ C 142, 21.5.1999, p. 11.

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 1999)

The Commission informed the Honourable Member in its letter of 9 February 1999 that, in view of new
information received from the Greek ombudsman, it had approached the national authorities once again
regarding the project referred to in Written Question E-2365/98 (1).

For the time being, pending additional information, the Commission and the regional authorities have
agreed to exclude the part of the project relating to the watercourse from Community part-financing.

(1) OJ C 142, 21.5.1999, p. 11.

(1999/C 370/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0611/99

by Carlos Pimenta (PPE) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Ratification and implementation of the Aarhus Convention by the European Community

The European Community signed the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in
Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Aarhus, Denmark on 25 June 1998,
after having made a statement indicating its intention to apply the Convention to its own institutions.

1. When is the Commission going to transmit the Convention for ratification to the Council and
Parliament?

2. What declarations on the application of the Convention to Community institutions, if any, are going
to be presented when ratifying the Convention?