WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372/99 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Relaunching of mining activities in north-eastern Halkidiki.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, cadmium, environmental impact, environmental protection, gold, hazardous waste, impact study, infringement of EU law, lead, mining extraction, pollution of waterways, toxic substance

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/115

(2000/C 225 E/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2367/99

by Maurizio Turco (TDI) to the Commission

(1 December 1999)

Subject: Budget nomenclature encouraging the practice of false subsidies

The Committee of Independent Experts(cid:146) Second Report on Reform of the Commission strongly criticises
the layout of the budget, which makes a distinction between Part A and Part B appropriations. Point 2.1.8.
says (cid:145)With regard to subsidies, the Part A/part B nomenclature, far from leading to clarity, adds to the
confusion (cid:133) a large proportion of subsidies are in fact disguised contracts which the Commission refuses
to treat as such, for a whole series of reasons, the main one being that transparency is even less fully
assured for subsidies than for contracts(cid:146).

Can the Commission say:

1. whether it

intends, when drafting the next budget,

to maintain only the distinction between

compulsory and non-compulsory expenditure;

2. what the subsidies disguised as contracts mentioned by the Committee are, who those responsible are

and what steps it intends to take and according to what time-scale?

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(26 January 2000)

I would inform the Honourable Member that the distinction between compulsory expenditure (CE) and
non-compulsory expenditure (NCE) stems from the rules on budget procedure laid down in Article 272
(former Article 203) of the EC Treaty. The budget that is adopted and published in the Official Journal
does not make this distinction for the different headings. It is only at the preliminary draft budget stage
that the Commission states its position, in an annex, on the classification to be followed throughout the
budget procedure. Otherwise, the distinction is unlikely to be relevant in the grants debate.

In July 1998 the Commission approved a Vade-mecum on grant management (1), which came into force
on 1 January 1999. Among other things, this laid down a clear distinction between (cid:145)procurement
spending(cid:146), defined as a purchase of some product or service from the market and the object of a
commercial contract, and (cid:145)grants(cid:146), defined as (cid:145)a direct payment of a non-commercial nature by the
Commission to promote an EU policy aim(cid:146). Awards of both contracts and grants are subject to rigorous
but different rules.

(1)

http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/info_subv/intro_funding.htm.

(2000/C 225 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Relaunching of mining activities in north-eastern Halkidiki

Plans have been approved by the Greek Government to relaunch mining and, in particular, gold extraction
activities by the TVX company in north-eastern Halkidiki with greatly increased plant capacity and size, in
addition to a large gold metallurgy plant using cynagen, and producing exceptionally toxic and dangerous
effluent containing arsenic, cadmium, lead, sulphurous compounds, cyanides and other substances.

C 225 E/116

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Given that:

(cid:129) it was decided to launch these activities without any prior environmental impact assessment,

(cid:129) the mining and metallurgical operations will destroy both ground and surface water not only because
of the vast quantities used at every operational phase but also because of the deterioration of quality
as a result of pollution by extremely dangerous substances, in addition to which measures are already
needed to remedy existing pollution,

(cid:129) this constitutes an infringement of Community law, in particular Directives 77/795 (1) and 80/68 (2),

together with the new framework directive concerning water,

(cid:129) these activities will be taking place in an area designated as GR 1270005 under the Natura 2000
programme, containing at least 15 different types of habitat, 76 species of fauna, 26 major species of
flora listed in Directive 92/43 (3) and 49 species listed in Directive 79/409 (4) concerning the
conservation of wild birds and in the Berne Convention,

(cid:129) measures have been decided (for example the diversion of a water course) and works have begun (road
building in the Natura area, drilling etc.) in the absence of any environmental impact surveys, thereby
infringing Directive 97/11 (5).

Can the Commission investigate the matter and establish whether a relevant environmental impact service
has been carried out and whether the other necessary measures have been taken to comply with
Community law?

What measures will the Commission take if it discovers that infringements of Community environment
legislation such as the abovementioned have in fact occurred?

(1) OJ L 334, 24.12.1977, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 20, 26.1.1980, p. 43.
(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(4) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2000)

The (cid:145)Mount Stratonico(cid:146) site under code number GR1270005 has indeed been proposed by Greece as a site
of Community importance, by virtue of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation
of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. The importance of that area lies mainly in the variety of
forest habitat types it hosts, including priority ones.

In view of the future inclusion of that site in the Natura 2000 network, any activities that could seriously
compromise its integrity should be avoided.

The Commission is aware of the TVX project in Halkidiki. The project was presented under the (cid:145)Industry(cid:146)
operational programme for 19941999. The Commission had asked for a complete environmental impact
study in accordance with the requirements of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the
assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment (1) as amended by
Directive 97/11/EC, in addition to the other measures to protect and restore historic sites requested by the
Greek authorities when the investment was approved. However, the Greek authorities informed the
Commission that the project had been abandoned, so the matter was not pursued.

In response to the information presented by the Honourable Member, the Commission will contact the
Greek authorities to check whether the requirements of the said Directives have been complied with and if
the conservation value of the site has been considered.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.