WRITTEN QUESTION P-2785/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Management of water resources.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental impact, impact study, project management, saltwater, water management, water resources, water treatment

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/175

The Commission is not competent to evaluate the possible existence of facts relevant under the criminal
law, such as those reported by the Honourable Member, concerning the previous managers of the Istituto
and the possible existence of falsified State bonds.

(2001/C 113 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2784/00

by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Amount and use of the tobacco premium

Part of the premium (one per cent before 1999 and two per cent thereafter) paid to tobacco farmers is
retained for research purposes. How much money has now accrued from that deduction since 1997, and
what funds were disbursed on what projects?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

As regards the total accrued from the deductions, it should be noted that this is not a fund stricto sensu
into which the deductions are paid annually and from which monies are taken to finance action. In
practice the action initiated by the Commission is financed from the ad hoc heading Community fund for
research and information (B1-175). Its appropriations correspond to the estimates of actual incurred costs
for the financial year in question. The Commission ensures that neither appropriations nor expenditure
exceed the product of the deductions.

The amounts entered under heading B1-175 of the Community budget for the years in question were
€ 4 900 000 (1997), € 8 000 000 (1998), € 6 000 000 (1999) and € 6 000 000 (2000).

Since the fund was set up three research projects have been selected following the first call for proposals
second (Community contribution
(Community contribution € 5 900 000)
€ 6 500 000). A project list will be sent direct to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

and six following the

In addition since being set up the fund has financed 18 information projects following two calls for
proposals. A list of these will likewise be sent to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2001/C 113 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2785/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Management of water resources

The Water Supply Association is constructing a desalination plant for brackish water on Zakynthos. The
project will be completed on a self-financing basis because to date no organisation has considered it to be
eligible for funding on the grounds that it is financially disadvantageous for consumers.

However:

(cid:129) a combination of solutions for the problem is available, such as the collection of surface water and

water from springs, storage in lake reservoirs, and controlled replacement pumping;

(cid:129) water provided by desalination is much more expensive per cubic metre than water transported by

tanker;

C 113 E/176

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(cid:129) the municipality of Zakynthos approved the environmental conditions without publishing their
authorisation, and without any meeting being held by the municipality(cid:146)s council; the authorisation
does not mention any data relating to hydrogeology, water balance or the effects on the water table of
the increased brackishness which will result from the projected pumping.

In view of the above:

(cid:129) can the Commission say if

Impact
Assessment of the project been drawn up? Was it published in time pursuant to Directive 85/337/
EEC (1)?

is aware of these facts? Has the required Environmental

it

(cid:129) how does the Commission, acting within the sphere of its responsibilities,

intend to prevent the
construction of this uneconomic project, and to promote other solutions which will be compatible
with the rational management of water resources?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

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

(12 October 2000)

The Commission had not been aware of the project mentioned by the Honourable Member which,
apparently, is not jointly financed by Community funds.

The Commission would again point out that, according to a series of reports published by the European
Environment Agency on the quality and quantity of groundwater in Europe (the last dating from 1999), a
general trend towards continuous depletion of groundwater resources has been confirmed, particularly in
Greece.

It also feels that the desalination of brackish groundwater is a method of producing fresh water whose
application in practice should first of all be subjected to cost/benefit analyses which take account of other
potential water-supply options, such as the provision of catch basins (cid:129) a method jointly financed by the
Community that has demonstrated its effectiveness, particularly in Greece.

The recent adoption (14 September 2000) by the Parliament and the Council of a framework directive on
water strongly promotes the integrated planning and management of the quality and quantity aspects of
surface waters and groundwater based on river basins that the question calls for.

It is up to the relevant national authorities to decide on any type of project, while taking account of all of
the criteria needed, whether economic or environmental. The Commission can only act where there is
failure to comply with Community law. In this particular instance the Honourable Member alludes to a
failure to comply with Council directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the impact of
certain public and private projects on the environment (1) as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EEC of
3 March 1997. (2)

He is therefore requested to provide additional
information on the procedure followed by the Greek
authorities and of its conclusion, in order to enable the Commission to investigate this matter in a suitable
manner.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.