WRITTEN QUESTION E-3027/00 by Elisabeth Jeggle (PPE-DE), Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) and Rainer Wieland (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Notice on town-twinning grants.
Date: 2000-09-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, twinning

C 151 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Furthermore, it should be pointed out that the local authorities of the townships concerned have asked the
regional government to have the area which the dam would occupy declared a Municipal Nature Area.
Their request was rejected by the regional government but has recently been re-submitted.

In view of the above facts, does the Commission not consider Directives 92/43/EEC and 79/409/EEC to
have been clearly infringed as regards species which, even though they are included in the annexes to
those directives, are nonetheless threatened by the projected La Caæada dam?

Does it believe that,
correctly applied?

in this case, Directive 97/11/EEC (3) on environmental

impact studies has been

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

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

(13 November 2000)

The Commission had not been aware of the project mentioned by the Honourable Member.

However, in the light of the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question, it is confirmed that the area in question has
not been designated as a (cid:145)special bird conservation area(cid:146) by Spain under Council Directive 79/409/EEC of
2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds. Nor is this area considered to be an (cid:145)area of relevance to
birds(cid:146).

This area has not been put forward by Spain for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network in pursuance of
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of flora and
fauna. Furthermore the Commission does not have any details in its possession proving that it is required
to be so.

At the moment no precise evidence shows that there has been an infringement of Directives 92/43/EEC
and 97/409/EEC. The projected barrages and other water-retention structures are subject to a mandatory
impact assessment under Council Directive 97/11/EEC of 3 March 1997, amending Directive 85/337/EEC
on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment, where if the
amount of water retained and stored on a permanent basis is less than ten cubic hectometres, said projects
must be subjected to that procedure if Member States feel that their characteristics so require. In any case,
according to the information provided in this written question, the project referred to above was submitted
to the impact procedure as provided for in Directive 97/11/EC.

In the light of the information available and since no infringement whatsoever of the Community laws in
force can be suspected, the Commission thus feels that this is entirely a matter for the Spanish authorities.

(2001/C 151 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3027/00

by Elisabeth Jeggle (PPE-DE), Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE)
and Rainer Wieland (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Notice on town-twinning grants

In the context of the award of town-twinning grants, people from all parts of Europe have in the past sat
round the table together in order to get to know one another, exchange experiences, work out projects
and seek common solutions to problems. There is no doubt that the flexible promotion of town-twinning
up to now has helped to develop close ties between people in Europe.

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/43

In its notice on town-twinning grants (1), the Commission has however announced that the previous
procedure will be changed and that it will issue before the end of the year 2000 a call for proposals
focusing on priority topics, with clearly defined selection criteria for the award of grants.

This notice has aroused a great deal of uncertainty in the communes of Baden-W(cid:252)rttemberg over the
arrangements which the Commission intends to make in future for the promotion of town-twinning.

Can the Commission answer the following questions in particular?

1. How will the closing date for applications be calculated in future (up to now it has been a three-

month period)?

2. How many calls for proposals for town-twinning will it issue each year?

3. What precisely does it mean by (cid:145)priority topics(cid:146) and will this make it more difficult to establish new

town-twinning arrangements or to revive existing ones?

4.

Is it aware, in addition, that the application procedure is disproportionately complicated, especially for
small communes, and can it see any way of simplifying that procedure?

(1) OJ C 238, 22.8.2000, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 2000)

The Commission continues to be very much aware that the town-twinning assistance programme needs to
be managed effectively if it is to be a complete success.

In view of past difficulties and the needs arising from them, and given the large number and variety of
proposals received, the Commission is introducing a new procedure which should help to improve
effectiveness.

An information meeting on this new call for proposals procedure was held on 23 October, to which
representatives of the CEMR, the national associations of the 15 Member States, the central and eastern
European countries, Malta, Cyprus and Turkey, the UTO and the Assembly of European Regions were
invited.

The questions raised by the Honourable Members have already been dealt with in the new call for
proposals.

The Commission notes the concerns voiced by the Honourable Members and will keep Parliament
informed of developments relating to the new procedures.

(2001/C 151 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3032/00

by Carlos Lage (PSE) to the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Subject: Consequences of building a harbour on the Vila Praia de ´ncora coast

(cid:145)Quercus(cid:146), a nationwide Portuguese association for the protection of the environment, has written to the
Commission to ask it to intervene in the scheme to build a new, small harbour at ´ncora, near the town
of Viana do Castelo,
in northern Portugal, protesting that the construction work (which is receiving
Community funding) threatens areas which form part of the Nature 2000 network and the Corine Biotope,
over and above damaging the shoreline in question.