WRITTEN QUESTION E-1863/00 by Carles-Alfred Gasòliba i Böhm (ELDR) to the Commission. Agricultural over-exploitation, and citrus-growing in particular, in the Valencian Autonomous Community.
Date: 2000-06-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, EAGGF, common agricultural policy, fruit-growing, land use, less-favoured agricultural area, over-exploitation of resources, over-production, rural development, water management, water resources

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/7

between potential operators. As the Commission stated in its answer to Written Question P-1839/2000 by
Mr Van Velzen (1), Member States may apply the selection procedure of their choice as long as it is based
on these criteria.

The choice between an (cid:145)auction(cid:146) type of procedure and a (cid:145)beauty contest(cid:146) type of procedure will affect the
development of these services, which depend on a variety of factors (duration of the licence, methods of
payment, compulsory geographical coverage, compulsory roaming function) and on the strategies
employed by the firms in question and consumer reaction. These effects must therefore be assessed on a
case-by-case basis.

(1) OJ C 89 E, 20.3.2001.

(2001/C 136 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1863/00

by Carles-Alfred Gas(cid:242)liba i B(cid:246)hm (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 June 2000)

Subject: Agricultural over-exploitation, and citrus-growing in particular,

in the Valencian Autonomous

Community

The conversion of unirrigated land and woodland into farmland is causing over-production, while the new
farms frequently take no account whatever of the fact that the area already suffers from grave water
shortages.

Both the increase in the number of farms and the over-production involved, contrary to the Common
Agricultural Policy, are frequently tacitly supported by the autonomous and state governments. Such
practices threatens farmers(cid:146) professional standards, and considerably lowers prices and farmers(cid:146) incomes.

How does the Commission intend to deal with this anomaly, particularly in the Valencian and Catalan
citrus-growing sector? What measures does the Commission intend to take to oblige the Valencian
Autonomous Community (Objective 1) to apply modernisation and agricultural improvement measures,
particularly as regards citrus-growing, as part of the aid which the Valencian Community will be receiving?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 October 2000)

The new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 has become the second pillar of
the common agricultural policy. An essential component of the European model for agriculture, its aim is
to put in place a coherent and durable framework that, by favouring the maintenance and creation of jobs,
secures the future of rural areas. Its main priorities are stronger agriculture and forestry sectors, improved
competitiveness of rural areas and conservation of the environment and the rural heritage.

Among the structural aids included in Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (1) of 17 May 1999 on
support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and
amending and repealing certain Regulations that should go some way to meeting the Honourable
Member(cid:146)s concerns are aid for afforestation of agricultural land, compensatory allowances in less-favoured
areas and areas subject to environmental constraints, agri-environmental aid and aid for agricultural
production structures.

Under the subsidiarity principle it is up to the Member State to present its rural development programme.
At the end of December 1999 the Spanish authorities presented programmes for EAGGF Guarantee
Section financing. These include a general programme of accompanying measures (agri-environment, early
retirement, afforestation and compensatory allowances) covering all of Spain except the Basque Country
and Navarre. Due to be approved shortly by the Commission, it includes agri-environmental aid in the

C 136 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

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8.5.2001

citrus fruit sector. A general programme for improvement of agricultural production structures in non-
Objective 1 areas (including those in the Autonomous Community of Cataloni(cid:224)) was approved on
15 September (Community contribution € 397 000 000) and the specific rural development programme
for Cataloni(cid:224) was approved on 14 September (Community contribution € 207 000 000).

The Commission also expects to approve soon the Community support framework for the Objective 1
Spanish regions, under which the EAGGF Guidance Section will aid agriculture and rural development. For
rural development the assistance embraces a multiregional operational programme (including the Auton-
omous Community of Valencia)
financed by the EAGGF Guidance Section to improve agricultural
production structures in the Objective 1 regions except Cantabria, and a multifund regional operational
programme (European Regional Development Fund, EAGGF Guidance Section, European Social Fund) for
the Autonomous Community of Valencia. Both are under examination by the Commission.

In parallel to its common agricultural policy work, the Community has just committed itself to a new
sustainable water policy. The framework Directive (2) on water focuses on the quality of Europe(cid:146)s ground-
water and surface water, setting an obligation for all water to achieve or maintain (cid:145)good status(cid:146) within
15 years. One of its main purposes is also to promote sustainable water use based on long-term protection
of available water resources, and good status as an objective also involves a quantitative element in the
case of groundwater, namely a long-term balance between supply or natural recharge and abstraction. All
abstraction from groundwater and surface water (except if of insignificant impact) will require a permit.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) Directive of the Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water
policy; not yet published in the Official Journal; final adoption by the European Parliament on 7 September, by the
Council on 15 September 2000.

(2001/C 136 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1876/00

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 June 2000)

Subject: Waste management in Greece

During 1999 264 571 tonnes of hazardous waste were produced in Greece. 76,1 % of this waste was
stored temporarily, 22,73 % was recycled, 1,01 % was processed and a mere 0,12 % was destroyed at
special plants abroad in the absence of a special waste disposal unit in Greece itself. According to
allegations made in the press, a large area of the Gulf of Elefsina has been polluted by discharges into the
sea of unprocessed waste, much of which is toxic; this has far-reaching consequences for the pollution of
the marine environment.

Will the Commission say:

1.

Is it aware of any cases of environmental pollution due to faulty waste management in Greece?

2. Has Greece complied with Community legislation on the management of both solid and liquid waste?

If not, what steps does the Commission intend to take to rectify this state of affairs?

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

(11 October 2000)

1.
The Commission only has limited information on the overall situation of waste management in
Greece. Greece did not report on the implementation of waste management directives between 1989 and