WRITTEN QUESTION E-3552/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Aerial crop spraying and the use of pesticides in Greece.
Date: 2000-11-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, Greece, application of EU law, competence of the Member States, pesticide, toxic substance

C 174 E/76

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2000)

The Commission is in complete agreement with the Honourable Members(cid:146) opinion regarding the
importance of scientific and technical cooperation with the Mediterranean Basin States, and supports the
development of such activities without reservation. It was in this spirit that, in 1999, the Commission
launched an entirely new from of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the fields of science and technology,
INCO-MED, as part of the specific programme on confirming the international role of European research,
In
itself part of the fifth framework programme for research and technological development (RTD).
addition, as part of the MEDA programme,
to
the Commission has launched the Eumedis project
strengthen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in promoting the adoption of new information and commu-
nication technologies across the region.

The Commission continues to reflect on how it can strengthen Euro-Mediterranean S&T activities, in the
light of their importance for sustainable development in the Mediterranean partner countries. It was
precisely as part of this process of reflection that the Commissioner for Research took part in the informal
meeting held at Capri on 29 and 30 September 2000, where he was able to discuss with the Research
Ministers of Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal, as well as with their opposite numbers from a
number of Southern Mediterranean countries, how such cooperation might be pro-actively developed. The
Italian Research Minister informed his colleagues of the conclusions and recommendations that emerged in
Capri during the Research Council meeting held on 16 November 2000.

The Commission will ensure that the Honourable Members are fully informed of its proposals for Euro-
Mediterranean S&T projects for the years 2001 and 2002.

(2001/C 174 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3552/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Aerial crop spraying and the use of pesticides in Greece

(15 November 2000)

On 29 October 2000 aerial crop spraying to combat olive fly was carried out once again in Corfu, using
the pesticide Lebaycid, which contains the particularly toxic and fat-soluble substance Fenthion (included in
thus creating risks
the list of organophosphorus compounds in List
regarding public health, disturbance of the ecological balance and the pollution of ground-water. This
was done in spite of the 1991 decision by the Supreme Administrative Court to suspend aerial crop
spraying and the recommendations by the Greek Ministry of Health that spraying should be carried out
from the ground in order to protect public health.

I of Directive 76/464/EEC (1)),

Could the Commission state whether this plant protection product has been given a licence following a
detailed examination to verify that it will not have harmful effects on human or animal health, or an
unacceptable impact on the environment?

To what extent are the following directives complied with in Greece:

(cid:129) 91/414/EEC (2),

(cid:129) 97/41/EC (3),

(cid:129) 97/73/EC (4),

(cid:129) 98/22/EC (5),

(cid:129) 98/57/EC (6),

(cid:129) 98/100/EC (7),

(cid:129) 1999/1/EC (8)?

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/77

For each of the above directives, has Greece taken the implementing measures necessary to comply with
them? If so, are these being correctly applied? If not, have proceedings for breach of Community law been
put in motion, and what stage has been reached for each individual directive?

(1) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976, p. 23.
(2) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 184, 12.7.1997, p. 33.
(4) OJ L 353, 24.12.1997, p. 26.
(5) OJ L 126, 28.4.1998, p. 26.
(6) OJ L 235, 21.8.1998, p. 1.
(7) OJ L 351, 29.12.1998, p. 35.
(8) OJ L 21, 28.1.1999, p. 21.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2001)

The authorization of plant protection products is regulated at Community level by Council Directive 91/
414/EEC of 15 July 1991 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market. The
Directive sets up a harmonized framework for the authorization, placing on the market, use and control
of plant protection products in the Community.

One of the basic principles of the Directive is the development of a Community list of accepted active
substances in Annex I to the Directive.

Article 8 (2) of Directive 91/414/EEC provides for a derogation during a period of 12 years (until 25 July
2003) for Member States to continue to authorize plant protection products containing active substances
not included in Annex I of the Directive on the basis of the general safety requirements of Article 4 of the
Directive and national data requirements. During this period the Commission shall implement a program
for gradual examination of the active substances.

Fenthion is one of the active substances currently being evaluated under Commission Regulation (EEC) No
3600/92 of 11 December 1992 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of
the programme of work referred to in Article 8 (2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the
placing of plant protection products on the market (1). It is expected that the Commission will be able to
adopt a decision on fenthion in early 2001.

The Commission will inform the Parliament and Council by July 2001, as provided in Council Directive
91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, on the progress with the
re-evaluation programme.

Greece has transposed Council Directive 91/414/EEC and its amendments into national legislation with the
Presidential Order 115/1997. The other Directives mentioned by the Honourable Member are not related
to the use of fenthion containing products.

The Commission understands that in Greece aerial applications of pesticides are forbidden in general but in
specified cases the ministry of Agriculture can grant
In the specific case a
Ministerial Decree established the conditions under which aerial applications against the olive fly could
be done. This Decree provided that only in Corfu aerial applications could be performed provided a
number of safety requirements were satisfied. This derogation was given because of
the particular
agricultural conditions prevailing in the island.

temporary derogations.

In this case, a study on the environmental impact of aerial applications has been performed. The decision
to conduct aerial applications was taken by the local authorities on the grounds of the existence of this
study and before it was evaluated by the ministry of Agriculture. This was a violation of the existing
procedures. The Greek authorities have undertaken to take all necessary actions to prevent a repetition of
the incident.

(1) OJ L 366, 15.12.1992.