WRITTEN QUESTION E-2461/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Compensation for the damage caused by the high-speed train line through the Biesbosch.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Netherlands, environmental impact, high-speed transport, impact study, nature reserve, rail transport

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/101

strategy is adopted in most countries in Africa and Asia and receives Community support. TB control is an
integral component part of health systems. Effective TB control and treatment should be a part of every
national health programme and funded from the national budget. However, due to multiple demands and
inadequate health funds, TB programmes, particularly in developing countries, have often relied on
external donor assistance.

Many initiatives undertaken by the Community are important for tuberculosis control in Europe and in the
rest of the world. The Community initiatives focused on Europe include the Community network for the
epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases (1), that brings into permanent com-
munication the institutes and public health authorities dealing with infectious diseases, and the Community
action programme on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other communicable diseases (2),
which provides financial assistance to projects such as Euro-TB (surveillance of TB in 51 countries of the
WHO European region which comprises also many Asian countries).

The Community provides extensive support
in
developing countries. This preference for a system-oriented approach has been a deliberate Community
policy. As a consequence, a detailed disease specific Community development budget breakdown for TB is
not available. Community commitments to health, AIDS and population in 1998 amounted to well over
€ 700 million for more than 100 developing countries.

to strengthen health systems,

including TB control,

Specific collaborative research activities with developing countries particularly geared to the development
and testing of new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines are administered under the regular Community research
budget. For the period 1994-1998, approximately € 3,5 million were spent for research on TB.

In addition, the Commission is presently preparing a communication to be presented to the Council on a
proposed accelerated action targeted at major communicable diseases (TB, malaria and human immunde-
ficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS) within the context of poverty reduction. The new Community initiative offers
the potential
for innovative cohesive strategies for combating the disease. A high-level round table
discussion on this new initiative is being organised by the Commission together with the WHO and the
United Nations programme on AIDS to be held in Brussels on 28 September 2000.

(1) Decision No 2119/98/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 (OJ L 268, 3.10.1998).
(2) Decision No 647/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 March 1996 (OJ L 95, 16.4.1996).

(2001/C 113 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2461/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Compensation for the damage caused by the high-speed train line through the Biesbosch

Is the Commission aware that the future high-speed train line from Amsterdam to Brussels will cut
through the western side of the Biesbosch national park, a bird and natural habitat area?

Is the Commission aware that the Dutch government has promised to compensate for the damage to the
area within the Biesbosch?

Does the Commission agree that it is better, in terms of maintaining biodiversity, to have compensation
outside the Biesbosch in order to prevent a nett loss?

If so, is the Commission prepared to call on the Dutch authorities to revise the plans for compensation
within the Biesbosch?

C 113 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

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

(27 September 2000)

The Commission is not aware that the railway line (cid:145)Hogesnelheidslijn-Zuid(cid:146) between Amsterdam and
Brussels (hereafter (cid:145)HSL(cid:146)) will cut through the western part of the Biesbosch.

The Biesbosch had been designated as a special protection area (SPA) within the meaning of the Council
Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (1) and has been proposed by the
Netherlands as a site of Community importance (SCI) within the meaning of Council Directive 92/43/EEC
of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna (2).

According to Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on
an SCI shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site. The national authorities
shall agree to the project only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the site and, if
appropriate, after having obtained the opinion of the general public.

According to Article 6(4) of Directive 92/43/EEC if, in spite of a negative assessment of the implications
for the site and in the absence of alternative solutions, the project must nevertheless be carried out for
imperative reasons of overriding public interest, the Member State shall take all compensatory measures
necessary to ensure that the overall coherence of Natura 2000 is protected. It shall inform the Commission
of the compensatory measures adopted.

Pursuant to Article 7 of Directive 92/43/EEC the obligations under Article 6(3) and 6(4) of that Directive
not only apply to SCIs but also to SPAs.

The Dutch authorities have not yet informed the Commission about the compensation measures that they
intend to take in the Biesbosch as a result of the construction of the railway line, as they are obliged to do
pursuant to Article 6(4) of Directive 92/43/EEC. However, since this railway line has not been constructed
so far, the measures are not to be taken yet nor has the Commission to be informed.

The Commission has asked the Dutch authorities to provide information about the application of Directive
79/409/EEC and Directive 92/43/EEC as well as Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment
of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (3) with respect to the HSL.

Should the Netherlands(cid:146) answer reveal any grounds of non-compliance with the above mentioned
Directives, the Commission will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to ensure that those Directives
are fully respected by the Dutch authorities.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(3) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2001/C 113 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2470/00

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Stefano Zappal(cid:224) (PPE-DE), Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE),
Pier Casini (PPE-DE), Generoso Andria (PPE-DE), Mario Mauro (PPE-DE),
Guido Viceconte (PPE-DE), Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Gargani (PPE-DE)
and Giuseppe Nistic(cid:242) (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Outbreak of fires in central and southern Italy

(24 July 2000)

What will the Commission do to tackle the serious emergency caused by the fires raging across central and
southern Italy, destroying vast areas of Mediterranean scrubland and threatening many homes?

What measures will the Commission take to protect forestry that is at risk, particularly in the Mediterra-
nean regions?