WRITTEN QUESTION E-0971/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Extraction and marketing of sand from the Aveiro estuary.
Date: 2000-03-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, Portugal, dredging, ecological balance, harbour installation, public works

C 46 E/98

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

proper evaluation of the impact as well as a study of alternatives if the area concerned is indeed part of a
site of Community importance proposed by Portugal
in 1997 as a contribution to the Natura 2000
network in accordance with Article 4 of the Directive.

A letter reminding the Portuguese authorities of these provisions has been sent.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2001/C 46 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0970/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Construction of an incinerator at Meia Serra

(31 March 2000)

Plans are afoot to construct an incinerator at Meia Serra in the parish of Camacha in the municipality of
Santa Cruz, in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, as part of a project to develop and restructure the
Meia Serra solid urban waste treatment centre.

The chosen site is very close to a built-up area and is located in an area which contains agricultural land
and a number of springs; the project therefore poses an environmental and public health threat.

Will the Commission say:

1. Has any Community funding already been authorised for the construction of

the Meia Serra

incinerator on the island of Madeira?

2. Has it already taken steps to ensure that all the necessary measures will be taken to protect the

environment and the health of the local population?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2000)

By its decision of 22 November 1999, the Commission granted aid from the Cohesion Fund for the first
phase of the project concerning the (cid:145)Unidade de Valorizacªo de Res(cid:237)duos S(cid:243)lidos da Ilha da Madeira(cid:146)
(Madeira solid waste treatment centre).

This project includes the construction of an incinerator to replace the obsolete plant currently operating at
Meia Serra, which does not comply with Community environmental legislation.

The decision to grant this aid includes specific clauses to ensure full compliance with the environmental
standards associated with this type of infrastructure. The project in question was also the subject of an
environmental impact assessment.

(2001/C 46 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0971/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: Extraction and marketing of sand from the Aveiro estuary

The Aveiro estuary has recently been designated a special protection zone to be included in the NATURA
2000 Network by Legal Decree 384-B/99 of 23 September. However the extraction and marketing of huge
quantities of sand from the estuary are continuing.

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/99

Under the pretext of ensuring navigability and preventing the silting-up of some areas, dredging is taking
place in an uncontrolled fashion; given that the sand is not simply being moved but marketed, there is a
risk of very serious consequences for the environmental equilibrium of the lagoon and the coastal strip.

A project is also under way for the construction of a marina for more than 800 in the estuary in Barra in
the parish of (cid:204)lhavo.

In view of the above, will the Commission say:

1. Has any Community funding been made available for dredging work in the Aveiro estuary?

2. Has any request for funding been made for the construction of the marina referred to above?

3.

In either case, has any provision been made to protect the environmental equilibrium of the lagoon
and the coastal strip?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2000)

The Community has indeed part-financed a dredging project in the Ria de Aveiro from the Cohesion
Fund (1).

The Ria de Aveiro comprises a lagoon separated from the sea by a barrier of dunes. If it is not dredged,
there is a danger that the lagoon will disappear as it silts up rapidly. The solution requires dredging to be
carried out to open up and deepen the channels in the Ria.

This assistance forms part of a series of measures to preserve and protect the Ria de Aveiro. The Cohesion
Fund is contributing € 59,2 million towards the total cost of € 69,71 million for a project to collect and
treat waste water (Simria).

The Commission has insisted that the project to dredge the Ria should be accompanied by a series of
measures to minimise the impact of the works and to monitor them. The project approved by the
Commission provides for the dredged sand to be used to regenerate the coastal area (combating coastal
erosion), to restore the marsh areas, which are in a poor state of preservation, and to construct an artificial
island for bird life.

A schedule restricting dredging to the period from October to March has also been drawn up to keep the
impact on fauna and flora to a minimum.

The Portuguese authorities have submitted no application for finance to construct a marina.

(1) Decisions C(95) 3061 of 12 December 1995 and C(95) 3259 of 15 December 1995 amended by Decision C(96)

3876 of 5 December 1997 and merged in Decision C(98) 2902 of 2 October 1998.

(2001/C 46 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0974/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Relations between the European Union and Iran

(31 March 2000)

The election results in the recent parliamentary elections in Iran have demonstrated the strong desire of the
Iranian electorate that Iran should emerge from the international isolation in which it has been for years.
However, the European Union(cid:146)s response to the changes taking place in Iran has so far been limited.

Will the Commission say whether it intends to take advantage of current favourable circumstances to
improve relations with Iran, thus supporting the opening which Iranian society is seeking with the West?