WRITTEN QUESTION E-2414/99 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Illegal burial of toxic waste.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, hazardous waste, infringement of EU law, oil industry, underground storage of waste, water pollution

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/43

(2000/C 280 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2407/99

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Esperanto

Has the Commission undertaken any studies on the use of Esperanto across the Union? Does it feel that
there is any place for Esperanto as a tool for creating cohesion between the present and future European
Union nations, and is Esperanto included in any of the current EU language schemes?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2000)

Respect for cultural and linguistic diversity is a crucial element of European integration. Promoting better
knowledge and understanding of the cultures and languages of other Europeans is therefore of particular
importance. Languages will continue in future to be the key to knowing others.

Esperanto does not feature in the Community(cid:146)s programmes on education and vocational training. The aim
of these programmes is to promote linguistic diversity with a view to granting equal status to each of the
Union(cid:146)s languages. It is therefore necessary to vary language teaching and language use in order to enable
all Europeans to experience the cultural wealth that is embedded in the EU(cid:146)s linguistic diversity.

(2000/C 280 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2414/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Illegal burial of toxic waste

Residents and organisations in the general area of the Gulf of Yera on the island of Lesbos complain that
the firm Mamidakis has been illegally operating its storage facilities in the Skala Loutron region for the
past two years, since the State Council(cid:146)s decision of 10 November 1997.

The issue of illegal burial of fuel tank waste by Mamidakis has also come to light recently. Under Joint
Ministerial Decision 72751/3064/84 this waste is classified as toxic and dangerous. For many years, in
fact, waste from tank-cleaning in the Mamidakis storage facilities in the Skala Loutron region was illegally
buried in a ditch approximately five metres deep, despite the fact that according to the environmental
impact study the waste from tanks was supposed to be stored in a specially covered area, in drums marked
(cid:145)Danger(cid:146), until
it was transferred to other locations outside Lesbos that are provided for toxic and
dangerous waste.

It should also be noted that the petroleum products firm operates its storage facilities entirely inside the
residential area of Skala Loutron, and that the safety distances fixed by law are not adhered to, entailing a
risk of explosion or escape of toxic substances in the event of an accident.

Since the Gulf of Yera forms a sensitive terrestrial and marine ecosystem of great ecological value,
incompatible with the operation of
fuel storage facilities, and since the illegal burial of waste has
substantial effects on the water table and, more generally, on the area(cid:146)s environment, does the Commission
consider that the above-mentioned practices on the part of Mamidakis constitute a breach of the relevant
Community legislation, sufficient to warrant starting proceedings in the Court of Justice?

C 280 E/44

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

What financial penalties does the Commission intend to impose on the competent Greek authorities who
have not yet complied with the Court(cid:146)s decision on their failure to observe Article 7 of Directive 76/464 (1)
on pollution caused to the aquatic environment by certain dangerous substances?

(1) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976, p. 23.

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

(31 January 2000)

The Commission did not have any information on the operation of the Mamidakis company(cid:146)s plant in the
Gulf of Yera area on the island of Lesbos. Following the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question, the Commission
will ask the Greek authorities for details of how this plant operates, and how the dangerous waste is
stored.

With regard to the judgment of the Court of Justice of 11 June 1998 which found that Greece had failed
to fulfil its obligations under Article 7 of Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain
dangerous subtances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community, by failing to establish
programmes including quality objectives and setting deadlines for their implementation to reduce the
pollution of Lake Vegorr(cid:237)tis, the river Soulos and the Gulf of Pagasa(cid:237) by the dangerous substances on List II
of the Directive, the Commission sent Greece a letter of formal notice on 18 December 1999 on the basis
of Article 228 (ex Article 171) of the EC Treaty. The Greek authorities replied on 23 March 1999 and
16 September 1999, notifying a set of measures taken to comply with the aforesaid judgment. The
relevant documents are now being examined.

In addition, the Commission, noting Greece(cid:146)s general failure to establish programmes which include quality
objectives and set deadlines for their implementation to reduce the pollution of water by substances on List
II of Directive 76/464/EEC, brought the matter before the Court of Justice on 11 November 1997. The
Court has not yet delivered its judgment.

(2000/C 280 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2420/99

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Providing a scaled-down military structure for the EU

(16 December 1999)

During the recent third round of Franco-Spanish strategic talks, both countries stated their wish to see the
EU equipped with a scaled-down military structure which would enable it to react quickly to crises such as
that in Kosovo.

This structure could take the shape of an ambassadorial-level Policy and Security Committee, a high
command and a headquarters whose remit would be to plan and carry out military operations.

How does the Commission, given its powers of initiative, regard the Franco-Spanish view of the basic
nucleus on which Europe(cid:146)s (cid:146)security and defence identity(cid:146) might be built up? Will it support the position of
Spain and France?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 January 2000)

The Franco-Spanish talks focussed on issues concerning military and non-military aspects of crisis
management,
for Petersberg tasks. As the Honourable Member will know these issues discussed
extensively in the Council in the period leading up to the Helsinki European Council.

i.e.