WRITTEN QUESTION E-2195/00 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Valencia-Tarragona rail link: failure to comply with Directive 85/337/EEC as regards the Benicàssim-Oropesa section.
Date: 2000-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Catalonia, Community of Valencia, EC opinion, EU control, environmental impact, project evaluation, rail transport

C 81 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

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13.3.2001

special emphasis on women and children, to assist the countries of origin and of transit in order to help
the authorities of those countries to strengthen their ability to combat effectively trafficking in human
beings and to cope with their readmission obligations towards the Union and the Member States, and to
promote closer co-operation and mutual technical assistance between the Member States(cid:146) border control
services, such as exchange programmes and technology transfers, especially on maritime borders, and for
the rapid inclusion of the applicant States in this co-operation.

When presenting initiatives of the Union relevant for migration isues related to Africa, the Africa-Europe
Summit, which was organised under the aegis of the Organization of African Union (OAU) and the Union
the Heads of State and
in Cairo on 3 and 4 April 2000, deserves mentioning.
Governments of the African States and of the Union as well as the President of the Commission gave
special attention to migration issues. They acknowledged that a comprehensive and integrated approach is
needed to tackle the issue of migration and the separate but related issue of asylum and will co-operate in
this field. It was recognised that the loss of skilled migrants from Africa constitutes a continental brain-
drain problem. The need for co-operation to address the root causes of migration both in countries of
origin and transit and in recipient countries was underlined.

In a declaration,

In the action plan, which accompanied the declaration, the participants agreed a set of measures in the
area of migration and which should guide the activities until the second summit to take place in Europe in
2003. The measures include the agreement to provide support, as appropriate, to African countries in
ensuring free intra-African mobility of labour and migration in the spirit of the Abuja treaty. Heads of
State and Government also agreed to collaborate in addressing the root causes of migration and asylum-
seeking in source, transit and recipient countries and to collaborate further in the issue of the reciprocal
integration of migrants, migrant rights and re-admission agreements between the European and African
countries.

(2001/C 81 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2195/00

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

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Valencia-Tarragona rail link: failure to comply with Directive 85/337/EEC as regards the Benic(cid:224)s-

sim-Oropesa section

In a parliamentary question tabled in January (E-0324/00) (1) I reported that,
in the case of the new
Valencia-Tarragona rail link (85 % of the construction cost of which is being met from the Cohesion Fund),
a statutory environmental study had not been carried out in respect of the section between Benic(cid:224)ssim and
Oropesa. In her reply of 29 March, Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m, Commissioner, took the view that Directive 85/337/
EEC (2) was applicable to the project and she announced that steps would be taken to ensure compliance
with Community law.

It would appear that, in their response to the Commission enquiries, the Spanish authorities (in the form
of the country(cid:146)s Foreign Ministry) maintain that:

(cid:129) what is involved is a modification to the original project,

(cid:129) an environmental impact study is not required for the construction work in question since such work
is considered to be included in the general town planning scheme for Benic(cid:224)ssim, in respect of which
such a study has been carried out.

The fact of the matter is that, on the one hand, the only thing that exists with regard to Benic(cid:224)ssim is a
document described as an (cid:145)environmental integration study(cid:146) which does not meet the requirements of
Community law and, on the other, the largest section of the track will affect the town of Oropesa, the
general town planning scheme for which does not include any environmental impact assessment.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Can the Commission confirm whether or not the reply it has received from the Spanish authorities reflects
the situation described above?

If so, what further steps is the Commission intending to take in order to ensure compliance with Directive
85/337/EEC on environmental impact assessment as regards the construction of the Benic(cid:224)ssim-Oropesa
rail link?

(1) OJ C 330 E, 21.11.2000, p. 127.
(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

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

(7 September 2000)

The Commission has indeed received a reply from the Spanish authorities regarding the project in
question.

Considering that reply to be unsatisfactory, it has decided to deliver a reasoned opinion concerning the
project.

(2001/C 81 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2204/00

by Johan Van Hecke (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: PCB and dioxin content of fish

Research has shown that high concentrations of PCB and dioxins are sometimes found in fish (cid:129)
found in chickens during the Belgian dioxin crisis. Both the European
concentrations at
authorities and the Member States are hesitating to apply the same stringent standards to fish as to meat.

the level

It appears that this question was raised by the Belgian Minister of Health at European level in Spring 1999,
but apparently there was a lack of willingness to do anything about it.

Is a high PCB and dioxin content in fish as dangerous to humans as the same level
Commission considering laying down a separate PCB and dioxin standard for fish and for meat?

in meat? Is the

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 2000)

The contamination by dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food and feed constitutes a risk to
public health. Therefore, the Commission will take the necessary measures to reduce the contamination
level of dioxins and PCBs in feed and food, including fish and fish feed, to ensure public health protection.
Accordingly, the Commission identified in the white paper on food safety (1) the need to define standards
for contaminants throughout the chain from feed to food. The scientific basis for setting these limits needs
to be addressed as a matter of priority.

The Commission has therefore requested the scientific committee for food and the scientific committee for
animal nutrition to assess the risks for public health arising from the presence of dioxins and PCBs in food
and feed. This will include an assessment of the dietary intake of dioxins and PCBs by the Community
population, identifying the main contributors. Given the great complexity of the problem, including the
problems caused by background levels of dioxin in the environment, the opinions are not to be expected
before autumn this year.