WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279/00 by Emmanouil Mastorakis (PSE) to the Commission. Development of island regions.
Date: 2000-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Structural Funds, aid system, economic development, island region, peripheral region, regional policy, sustainable development

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

As far as motor fuels are concerned the Commission proposal adopted in 1997, restructuring the
Community system of taxation of energy products (2), allows Member States to apply differentiated rates
of energy taxation based on the quality of fuels without formal Commission or Council approval, provided
that they comply with the minimum level of taxation set out in the proposal. This proposal is in line with
the auto oil directives (Directive 98/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998
relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending
Council Directive 70/220/EEC (3) and Directive 98/70/EC of
the Council of
13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/
12/EEC) (3), but it is still under discussion by the Council.

the Parliament and of

As far as indirect taxation on motor vehicles is concerned, so far there is little Community legislation or
harmonisation of national fiscal provisions applied by the Member States. Approximation of vehicle
taxation levels proved very difficult to achieve due to the unanimity rule needed for decisions on fiscal
matters.

The Commission intends to present a communication on vehicle taxation, in order to launch a discussion
with Member States and other Community institutions on future options for action at Community and
national levels, including the issue of incentives to promote more advanced fuels or more environment
friendly cars.

Finally, concerning possible temporary concessions to import duties on environmentally friendly cars, it
should be pointed out that such measures must respect the Community(cid:146)s obligations in the World Trade
Organisation. It would, therefore, be most appropriate to explore such possibilities with the Community(cid:146)s
trading partners. Any modification of relevant duty rates is an option which could be explored together
with Member States in the context of the preparation for a new and comprehensive round of trade
negotiations.

(1) OJ L 44, 16.2.2000.
(2) COM(97) 30 final.
(3) OJ L 350, 28.12.1998.

(2001/C 113 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279/00

by Emmanouil Mastorakis (PSE) to the Commission

(19 April 2000)

Subject: Development of island regions

Parliament has adopted a resolution on the guidelines for the 2001 budget procedure (cid:129) Section III (cid:129)
Commission (A5-0070/2000 (cid:129) the Haug report), paragraph 33 of which, entitled (cid:145)New Policies(cid:146), under-
lines the importance of appropriate funding for the areas newly introduced or reinforced by the
Amsterdam Treaty, such as the development of island regions.

What measures will the Commission take to implement this new policy of developing the island regions?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

Sardinia, Sicily, all the Greek islands and the outermost regions will be eligible under Objective 1 for the
Structural Funds(cid:146) 2000-2006 programming period. In addition, as a result of the Commission(cid:146)s decisions in
the case of eleven out of the twelve Member States concerned, a great many islands will be covered by
Objective 2 on the basis of the proposals put forward by the national authorities.

On 1 July 1999 the Commission approved the guidelines for the Structural Fund programmes for 2000-
2006. They set the Community priorities for the new programming period. Some of these priorities
concern very directly the problems facing the island regions: the need to improve access; the use of
renewable sources of energy, particularly with reference to the White Paper for a Community strategy and

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action plan (1); the promotion of new services in the field of new communications technology; the
economical management of water resources; and support
for a sustainable and high-quality tourist
industry, taking capacity into account.

Moreover, the guidelines for the Interreg Community initiative, approved by the Commission on 28 April
2000 (2), explicitly state that integration of the island regions is a priority area in the field of transnational
cooperation. This means that adequate finance will have to be assigned to these regions. Furthermore, in
the context of interregional cooperation, particular attention will be paid to participation by the island
regions.

Lastly, to take more account of the natural handicaps specific to the small Aegean islands, Council
Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 of 19 July 1993 introducing specific measures for the smaller Aegean
islands concerning certain agricultural products (3) provides for specific instruments to assist them.

Some islands belong to a special group, known as the outermost regions, which share a set of handicaps
defined in Article 299(2) (former Article 227) of the EC Treaty. For these regions, on 14 March 2000 (4),
the Commission adopted a report on the implementation of the new Article.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.
(2) COM(2000) 1101 final.
(3) OJ L 184, 27.7.1993.
(4) COM(2000) 147 final.

(2001/C 113 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1287/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Serious desertification problems in Valencia (Spain)

(19 April 2000)

A conference on desertification was recently held in Valencia (Spain), under the auspices of the European
Society for Soil Conservation (ESSC). The conclusions reached by the more than 400 scientific experts who
participated in the event include the statement that Spain is the country with the highest soil loss risk in all
of Europe (60 % of Spain(cid:146)s territory is affected by desertification). In the case of the Valencia region, 40 %
of its territory is affected, and 5-7 % of the soil concerned is already lost beyond recall.

In a statement by Commissioner Fischler (see reply to question E-1563/95 (1)), the Commission said:
(cid:145)The key to effective combating of desertification lies in sensible use of land compatible with environ-
mental requirements and rational and cautious use of water resources(cid:146). A similar intention appears to
underlie the preparatory work for the future framework directive on water.

At present, however, the following phenomena are occurring in the Valencia region:

(cid:129) a number of agricultural and planning practices are being followed which are seriously affecting the
groundwater levels in areas such as Les Mar(cid:237)nes, Marjal de Almenara, Marjal de Peæ(cid:237)scola and Marjal
de Pego-Oliva;

(cid:129) diversion projects are under consideration, e.g. for Xucar-Vinalop(cid:243), which will affect the Albufera lake

(a protected area under LIFE);

(cid:129) water pollution from nitrates is increasing thanks to inadequate soil conversion;

(cid:129) a theme park ((cid:145)Terra M(cid:237)tica(cid:146)) is under construction, the demand for water from which is expected to

have the effect by 2002 of doubling the water deficit of a highly drought-prone region;

(cid:129) a number of golf courses (Peæ(cid:237)scola, Benidorm and Finestrat, Manises) have been created or are

projected, with no regard for planning or forecasting in relation to water resources, etc.