WRITTEN QUESTION E-0964/00 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Location of the IUCN Mediterranean office in Málaga.
Date: 2000-03-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, European Commissioner, Mediterranean Sea, environmental protection, international organisation, official visit, seat of institution

C 53 E/48

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

Has the Commission considered formulas which could make it possible to reconcile the need to protect
the environment with the avoidance of depopulation in the countryside?

Does the Commission not believe that, as a matter of fairness, farmers who are prevented from irrigating
their land for environmental reasons should receive financial compensation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 May 2000)

The new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 seeks to establish a coherent and
permanent framework to guarantee the future of rural areas by encouraging the maintenance and creation
of employment and by taking account of environmental requirements. The priorities of this development
policy are strengthening the agricultural and forestry sector, making rural areas more competitive and
preserving the environment and rural assets.

The structural measures provided for by Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on
support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) (1)
include aid for investments on agricultural holdings to preserve the natural environment, compensatory
allowances in less-favoured areas or those subject to environmental constraints, agri-environmental aid and
support for agricultural and rural activities to protect the environment. With particular regard to the
compensatory allowances, Article 16 of the Regulation provides that payments to compensate for costs
incurred and income foregone may be made to farmers who are subject to restrictions on agricultural use
in areas with environmental restrictions as a result of the implementation of limitations on agricultural use
based on Community environmental protection rules, if and in so far as such payments are necessary to
solve the specific problems arising from those rules. Such measures should help meet the concerns
expressed by the Honourable Member.

It is up to the Member State to submit rural development programmes,
in full compliance with the
principle of subsidiarity. In areas, like Aragon, not covered by Objective 1, the Member States may submit
rural development programmes which include these various measures for financing under the EAGGF
Guarantee Section. Such programmes should in particular describe the situation of the area in question, its
specific problems, the strategy proposed and its priorities and the measures which are intended to
implement the plans.

The Commission is currently considering the proposed rural development programmes submitted by the
Spanish authorities on 30 December 1999 with a view to approving them as soon as possible.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 53 E/055)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0964/00

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Location of the IUCN Mediterranean office in MÆlaga

(29 March 2000)

In her reply for the Commission to my question E-2415/99, Commissioner Wallstr(cid:246)m stated that the
Mediterranean regional office of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is located
in Seville, rather than, as I maintained, in MÆlaga.

I regret to have to contradict Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m, but am obliged to point out that this office is indeed located
(Andalusia Technology Park). The Commission(cid:146)s
in MÆlaga,
information is, therefore, incorrect.

in the (cid:145)Parque Tecnol(cid:243)gico de Andaluc(cid:237)a(cid:146)

May I ask the Commissioner if, in order to confirm the correctness of my assertion, she or a representative
of hers would be willing to pay a visit to the IUCN(cid:146)s Mediterranean regional office, in order to obtain first-
hand knowledge of it and contribute to the development of the activities it is planning?

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/49

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

(12 May 2000)

The Honourable Member states that the Mediterranean regional office of the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) is located in Malaga. While the latest information
suggests that the location is likely to be Malaga it remains the Commission(cid:146)s understanding that to date the
IUCN and the Spanish and local authorities are still negotiating the agreement for the opening of the IUCN
office for the Mediterranean in Spain and that therefore an office address is not yet officially available.

The Member responsible for the environment has no plans to visit any of IUCN(cid:146)s offices in Europe at
present. However, even though the Commission is not a member of IUCN, it has regular contacts with the
organisation including visiting its offices whenever necessary for furthering several joint initiatives.

(2001/C 53 E/056)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0983/00

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: Safety monitoring by Euratom

As long ago as 1988, in a joint resolution on the findings of the Committee of Inquiry on the handling
and transport of nuclear material (1), Parliament called for measures (cid:145)to increase the credibility and
effectiveness of the safeguards(cid:146). It called for the Safeguards Directorate to be hived off from Directorate-
General XVII (currently part of the TREN DG), responsible for the promotion of nuclear energy, and for an
increase in the number of inspectors.

In view of the drastic increase in the volume of plutonium handled, in particular in the large reprocessing
and MOX fuel element production plants in France and Great Britain, once again it is imperative to know
whether Euratom safety monitoring can be carried out at the level required.

In the light of Parliament(cid:146)s resolution in 1988, has the Commission taken steps to safeguard the

1.
organisational independence of the Euratom Safeguards Directorate? If so, what steps? If not, why not?

2. What action has the Commission taken to give the Safeguards Directorate sufficient financial and
human resources to enable it to cope with the increase in nuclear material that is handled?

3. What other action has the Commission taken to implement Paragraph 7 of the resolution in
question?

4. What action is the Commission planning to take in this area in the near future?

(1) OJ C 235, 12.9.1988, p. 70.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

1.
The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the Euratom Safeguards Directorate
was transformed in 1999 into an (cid:145)office(cid:146) which now reports directly to the Vice President of the
Commission responsible for Energy and Transport. Administratively, however, the Euratom Safeguards
Office continues to be attached to the Directorate general for Energy and Transport. The issue is under
review and the Commission is expected to consider a proposal on the matter by mid-2000.