WRITTEN QUESTION E-1287/00 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Serious desertification problems in Valencia (Spain).
Date: 2000-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Spain, Structural Funds, desertification, environmental protection, groundwater, use of aid, water management

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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.

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Does the Commission not consider all of the above practices to be in contradiction, not only with the anti-
desertification convention signed by Spain, but also with the principles underlying the receipt and
management of ERDF, EAGGF and Cohesion Fund monies by the Spanish government and the Valencian
regional government, concerning (cid:145)sustainable soil use(cid:146)?

What steps does the Commission intend to take to urge the Spanish government and the Valencian
regional government
the severe problem of
desertification, which is particularly affecting the Valencia region and which is the specific object of the
above-mentioned Community funding?

to undertake effective and concrete action to combat

(1) OJ C 311, 22.11.1995, p. 4.

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

(3 July 2000)

The Commission confirms that present Community water legislation does not guarantee the sustainable
management of all waters. This is why it presented a proposal for a water framework Directive (1) to
Parliament and Council, in response to initiatives taken by Parliament(cid:146)s environment committee inter alia.
The Council adopted a common position in October 1999 (2). Parliament delivered its opinion (second
reading) in February 2000 (3). The conciliation procedure seems to indicate final adoption in mid-2000.

The water framework Directive provides for water management based on river basins and sets ambitious
environmental objectives to ensure surface water and groundwater protection, which include (cid:145)preventing
deterioration of groundwater status, restoring bodies of groundwater, and ensuring a balance between
abstraction and recharge of groundwater(cid:146) (Article 4(1)(b)). It obliges Member States to introduce legally
binding measures (cid:129) river basin management plans (cid:129) to achieve these objectives. Such measures include
(cid:145)controls over the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater, and impoundment of fresh surface
water, including a register or registers of abstraction and impoundment.(cid:146) Only water abstractions with
insignificant impact may be exempted from these obligations (Article 11(3)(d)).

Once the Directive has been adopted the Commission will ensure that it is properly transposed and
implemented, using both the instruments provided for in the EC Treaty (cid:129) including Article 226 (ex Article
169) (cid:129) and by information of and consultation with all interested parties. Furthermore, the Directive
obliges Member States to inform interested parties and the general public when establishing their river
basin management plans thus ensuring openness and transparency.

It should also be noted that the new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 has
become the second cornerstone of the common agricultural policy. The support given to sustainable rural
development, relating to agricultural activities and their reconversion, may concern,
the
preservation and promotion of a high nature value and a sustainable agriculture respecting environmental
requirements. The new policy also focuses on the sustainable development of forests, the preservation and
improvement of forest resources and the extension of wooded areas. Investments with environmental
protection objectives may also be cofinanced. All these measures may help combat desertification in the
areas mentioned by the Honourable Member. It is for each Member State to present its rural development
programmes, with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity.

inter alia,

Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural
Funds (4), provides that the Commission and the Member States shall ensure that the requirements of
environmental protection are incorporated into the definition and implementation of the operations of the
Funds. The Cohesion Fund gives financial support to projects concerning the environment and transeur-
opean transport infrastructure networks which help achieve objectives set by the EC Treaty.

It should also be noted that Spain is party to the United Nations Convention to combat desertification, as
are Portugal, Italy and Greece (Annex IV (cid:129) Northern Mediterranean). These Member States have either
drawn up or are in the process of drawing up national and regional action programmes to combat

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desertification and have held a series of meetings which the Commission has attended. National and
regional action programmes form the basis for implementation of the Convention. As a party to the
Convention, the Community has a particular interest in ensuring that it is effectively implemented in the
Northern Mediterranean.

(1) Commission proposals: OJ C 184, 17.6.1997; OJ C 16, 20.1.1998 and OJ C 108, 7.4.1998.
(2) Council Common Position (EC) No 41/1999 of 22.10.1999; OJ C 343, 30.11.1999.
(3) Not yet published in the Official Journal.
(4) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 113 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1318/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(27 April 2000)

Subject: Changes in the level of air pollution caused by road transport by 2020

FEBIAC, the Belgian car builders(cid:146) federation, claims that it is possible confidently to predict that the
problem of air pollution resulting from road traffic will have been solved by 2020. The basis for its
assertion is a study which it commissioned the Institute of Energy and Environmental Research (IFEU) in
Heidelberg to carry out.

According to the federation, harmful emissions from road traffic have fallen by 30 % since 1990. It
predicts that new types of engine and the gradual removal of older vehicles will result in a further fall
between 2000 and 2020, with harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, benzene,
nitrogen oxides and soot particles down by 70 to 80 %.

Does the Commission agree with Febiac(cid:146)s conclusion that it is possible confidently to predict that the

1.
problem of air pollution resulting from road traffic will have been solved by 2020?

(a)

If so, on the basis of what scientific studies has the Commission reached this conclusion?

(b)

If not, what changes, in the Commission(cid:146)s view, will be seen in the level of air pollution caused by
road traffic by 2020? On what scientific studies is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion concerning the level of
air pollution caused by road traffic by 2020 based?

2.
In the Commission(cid:146)s view, what steps urgently need to be taken in order to drastically reduce the
problem of air pollution resulting from road traffic by 2020? What action programmes have already been
developed by the Commission in order to tackle the problem of air pollution caused by road traffic?

(2001/C 113 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1567/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 May 2000)

Subject: Tax concessions for diesel fuel

More than half the cars sold in the Belgian federation last year use diesel. This makes Belgian the second
most diesel-mad country (after Austria). There are scarcely any diesel cars in the Scandinavian countries,
the UK and the US.

Diesel emissions are not only the principal source of nitrogen oxide which is one of the key factors in
global environmental problems such as ozone pollution and acid rain. What is more harmful are emissions
of soot and particulates, or in scientific jargon PM10 (particles smaller than 10 micrometres). Soot particles
carry dangerous substances such as heavy metals and carcinogenic polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbons.