WRITTEN QUESTION P-0041/00 by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Extension of the dock at Escombreras, Murcia (Spain).
Date: 2000-01-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, Region of Murcia, biotope, environmental impact, environmental protection, impact study, infringement of EU law, tourist infrastructure

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/215

The Commission does not feel that this slip, which was quickly corrected, constitutes a major incident.
Moreover, the Belgian television subsequently showed pictures of the President sitting at the table of
honour not far from the Belgian Sovereigns and the royal couple.

The Commission endeavours to develop a communication policy based on transparency and the right of
the citizen to be informed on Community institutions and the Union(cid:146)s policies. In this, it cooperates fully
with Parliament.

(2000/C 225 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0013/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Creation of a Greek service on Euronews

(19 January 2000)

Since 1 November the news agency Euronews has been broadcasting in a sixth language, Portuguese. In his
statements, the channel(cid:146)s managing director has stressed that Euronews has the capability to expand its
activities into other languages too.

Is the Commission looking into the possibility of the creation of a Greek service on the channel, so that
the large number of Greeks and Greek speakers abroad who are interested in the broadcast of news in
Greek could be kept informed?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2000)

The question as to the creation of a Greek service on the Euronews information channel is not a matter for
the Commission but for the management of Euronews.

However, the Commission agrees that it would be a good thing for Euronews to broadcast in as many
Community languages as possible. The fact that it now broadcasts in six languages is a significant step in
the right direction.

The Commission will pass on the Honourable Member(cid:146)s views during its contacts.

(2000/C 225 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0041/00

by Marie Isler BØguin (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Extension of the dock at Escombreras, Murcia (Spain)

(13 January 2000)

The Commission is currently examining the case for Cohesion Fund aid for the project for extension of the
dock at Escombreras, Murcia (Spain) and the rehabilitation of PortmÆn Bay submitted by the Cartagena
Port Authority.

This project has not been made the subject of an environmental impact assessment, despite the fact that it
affects the Punta de Aguilones/Isla de Escombreras area, which is considered an important area for bird life
by Directive 79/409/EEC (1), and is,
furthermore, a threat to the underground vegetation (Posidonia
oceanica) of the Costas de Calblanque, an area classified as a priority natural habitat by the habitats
directive (92/43/EEC) and proposed as a location of Community interest (2). Virtually no attempt has been
made to consider alternative proposals, and the official reports drawn up by the regional authorities and
other bodies (3) have not been forwarded to the Ministry of the Environment for use in preparing the
environmental impact statement. In addition, the regional authorities have failed to comply with Directives
85/337/EEC (4) and 97/11/EC (5),
the national regulation on the same subject (6), and Regional Law
1/1995 (7) on participation in the transmission of public information and provision of information to the
Regional Environmental Council. One of the key objections made by the above-mentioned bodies concerns

C 225 E/216

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

the link between the rehabilitation of the Bay and an oversized infrastructure. Further, the rehabilitation
project for the Bay has not been linked to environmental recovery in the Sierra Minera: this would have
been a more coherent approach which would have permitted the judicious development of tourism, in line
with the regional planning guidelines of 1995 (8). The EIB has delivered a negative report on the project (9).

Would the Commission not be prepared to allocate Cohesion Fund monies to the rehabilitation of
PortmÆn Bay and environmental recovery in the Sierra Minera, rather than to any large-scale infrastructure
project?

What action does the Commission take against the failure to comply with Directives 85/337/EC and
97/11/EC, especially as regards the failure to consider alternatives or to inform the public during the
assessment of the project submitted by the Cartagena Port Authority?

What measures does the Commission intend to take to ensure the protection of the Punta de Aguilones/
Isla de Escombreros area, including the underground vegetation of the Costas de Calblanque?

Does the Commission not consider that Article 6 of Directive 92/43 should be applied to all projects
affecting this area? Does the Commission not consider that, in the wake of the disaster at Aznalcollar
(Andalusia, Spain), it would be preferable to deposit and treat the waste generated in the area of this Bay
on dry land?

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1; the Commission has taken out infringement proceedings against Spain for failing to

designate the important areas for bird life as special protected zones pursuant to the directive.

(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(3)

The University of Murcia, the Association of Professional Biologists, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography and the
National Museum of Undersea Archaeology.

(4) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(5) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)

See Royal Decree 11/1988 of 31 November 1988, in particular Article 8.
See Regional Law 1/1995 of 8 March 1995 on environmental protection in the Murcia Region.
See the planning guidelines for PortmÆn Bay and the Sierra Minera, as adopted by decree of 26 May 1995.
The EIB(cid:146)s report mentions three problems: the main beneficiary of the project is the owner of virtually all the land
adjoining the bay; the extension of the dock at Escombreras is not justified; and the act of cleaning the bay does
not guarantee that it will be totally pollution-free.

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

(8 March 2000)

The Commission is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member
and will inform her of the outcome as soon as possible.

(2000/C 225 E/248)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0054/00

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Review of Annex H of the sixth VAT Directive

Is the Commission planning a review of Annex H of the sixth VAT Directive? If so, when?

In its communication (cid:145)A Common System of VAT: A Programme for the Single Market(cid:146) (COM(96) 328 fin)
the Commission outlined a timetable for approaching the definitive VAT system. Given the fact that the
dates mentioned therein have already been passed without any real progress on the matter, could the
Commission indicate when it expects to be able to come forward with a proposal for the final system?