WRITTEN QUESTION P-3326/00 by Mariotto Segni (UEN) to the Commission. Severe water shortage in Sardinia.
Date: 2000-10-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Sardinia, Structural Funds, drought, financial aid, regional policy, water management

C 163 E/88

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

It is within this framework that the Commission submitted to the management committee for sugar, on
21 June 2000, a draft Commission Regulation establishing the sugar forecast supply balance for the
Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands for the marketing year 2000/01 provided for under Regulation
(EEC) No 1600/92 and Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/92 of 15 June 1992 introducing specific
measures concerning certain agricultural products for the Canary Islands.

Once the management committee for sugar had expressed its favourable opinion on the proposed
measures, the Commission adopted the above Regulation (EC) No 1481/2000 on 6 July 2000 establishing
the sugar forecast supply for the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands for the marketing year 2000/
2001 provided for under Regulation (EEC) No 1600/92 and Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/92 (2).

A copy of the draft regulation text, as submitted to the management committee, is being sent directly to
the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1) OJ L 173, 27.6.1992.
(2) OJ L 167, 7.7.2000.

(2001/C 163 E/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3326/00

by Mariotto Segni (UEN) to the Commission

(18 October 2000)

Subject: Severe water shortage in Sardinia

Sardinia is currently suffering from a critical water shortage, which is affecting the agricultural sector in
particular but also supplies of drinking water and water for industry.

This cannot be passed off as a temporary emergency, as there is no doubt that there has been a radical
change in the climate over the last sixty years and it should be noted that, at the beginning of this year(cid:146)s
draw-off period (March), the island(cid:146)s artificial reservoirs contained only 27 % of their total capacity and the
three years from 1997 to 2000 appear to have been the driest in the last 78 years.

The level of available water supplies, the equivalent of 270 m3 per inhabitant per year, is far below the
1000 m3 laid down by the Worldwatch Institute as the minimum threshold below which scarcity of supply
it is
places constraints on the primary needs of domestic consumers and on economic development;
comparable to the level of supply in countries such as Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia.

This problem is threatening Sardinia(cid:146)s economy and disrupting the lives of all the island(cid:146)s inhabitants.

The measures set out under 1.1 and 1.2 in the ROP are completely inadequate to cope with one of the
most serious water shortages in the Mediterranean area.

In view of the foregoing:

1. Would the Commission state what concrete proposals are currently being considered to tackle this

situation, with particular emphasis on the framework for the future?

2. What (cid:145)ad hoc(cid:146) measures to address natural disasters could be used to provide financial support for
action to optimise the distribution of the island(cid:146)s water resources, limit leaks, recycle urban effluent,
construct new water storage facilities and divert water courses which are not being used towards
artificial reservoirs?

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/89

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(30 November 2000)

The Commission is aware of Sardinia(cid:146)s underdevelopment as regards managing water resources.

For the 2000-2006 programming period, the Community support framework (CSF) for the Italian regions
eligible under Objective 1 has set priorities for the sector which cover two aspects:
infrastructure
improvement and management system administration. As regards the first, assistance will have to be
concentrated on converting water conveyancing and purification facilities, adapting supply and distribution
monitoring systems, and building new facilities for reusing purified water. As regards the second, effective
management systems will have to be developed in order to make a clearer distinction between controlling
and managing resources and to bridge the gap between assistance planning and financial responsibility.

The regional operational programme (ROP) for Sardinia lists these points under measure 1.1 of the natural
resources priority. The detailed criteria set by the CSF will apply in order to ensure that the projects
selected are consistent with the sectoral law in force in Italy (Legge Galli).

The financial allocation set aside for that priority is the Sardinia ROP(cid:146)s second largest, with Structural Funds
assistance accounting for € 520 628 million out of an investment cost totalling € 1 072,51 million.

As it explained to Parliament on 25 October (1) with regard to financial help for affected areas and
reinstating the budget heading for emergency aid in the event of natural disasters, the Commission
considers that (cid:129) since other possibilities for Community support exist and in view of the financial and
human resources available (cid:129) other initiatives should be accorded higher priority at this stage.

(1) Plenary session debate of 25 October 2000.

(2001/C 163 E/095)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3329/00

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 October 2000)

Subject: Chlorine and fluoride in drinking water

Bearing in mind:

(cid:129) the wide range of research carried out on the fluoride issue, which has led almost all EU Member

States to remove the substance from drinking water,

(cid:129) the fact that Ireland has not yet removed fluoride from drinking water,

(cid:129) recent research by the National Institute of Public Health in Norway which provides new evidence to
show that drinking water treated with chlorine is associated with higher levels of birth defects, in
particular spina bifida (as published in the American journal Epidemiology),

(cid:129) that effective and non-toxic alternatives to chlorine are available.

Would the Commission give its views on the health implications of adding chlorine and fluoride to
drinking water, comment on whether it feels more research is required on the implications of adding these
substances to drinking water and whether Member States in the meantime should proceed on the basis of
the precautionary principle, and state whether it feels there is scope for legislative changes to mitigate any
possible effects on health?