WRITTEN QUESTION E-3587/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Environmental pollution caused by the Chalkis Cement factory.
Date: 2000-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, air quality, anti-pollution device, cement, chemical pollution, environmental law, pollution control measures

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/17

(2001/C 187 E/016)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3572/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(13 November 2000)

Subject: Disclosure of EU documents

Over the summer, a working party of senior Coreper officials drafted a proposal for reducing the degree of
disclosure of EU documents. The decision to do so was apparently prompted by a specific request from
a citizen which the Council did not wish to grant.

1. When was this request submitted to the Council?

2. Who submitted it?

3.

To what documents did it relate?

4. Why did the Council not wish to grant the request?

In what sense did the request and the subsequent refusal to grant it result in the Council(cid:146)s resorting

5.
to an expedited procedure to reduce the degree of disclosure of European documents?

Reply

(24 April 2001)

Should the Honourable Member of Parliament refer in his question to Council Decision 2000/527/EC
amending Decision 93/731/EC on public access to Council documents, which was adopted by the Council
on 14 August 2000 concerning access to highly classified documents concerning the European security
and defence policy, the Council can only repeat what it already stated in its reply to his Written Question
E-2846/00 of 11 September 2000. In case he refers to another question, the Honourable Member is
requested to give more details.

The Council wishes to point out that in its replies to requests from the public for access to documents the
Council always states the grounds on which documents are refused and informs the applicant of the
remedies open to him, namely instituting court proceedings or making a complaint to the European
Ombudsman, under the conditions laid down in Articles 230 and 195 of the Treaty establishing the
European Community.

(2001/C 187 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3587/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 November 2000)

Subject: Environmental pollution caused by the Chalkis Cement factory

The Chalkis Cement factory lies very close to the town of Chalkis and has, since its construction,
discharged large amounts of cement dust over many districts of the town. Protests by the local authorities
and inhabitants have failed to have any effect.

The factory has undertaken certain improvements by installing filters in its chimneys. However,
a significant part of the entire production process still takes place in the open (transport and storage of
materials, etc.) so that a gust of wind is enough to carry the dust into the town. Most estimates agree that
if the appropriate investments were made it would be possible to carry out the entire process under cover,
and indeed the factory claims to have such a programme in place. If this is true, implementation has long
been delayed and the outlook for the future is uncertain.

C 187 E/18

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Since the above clearly constitutes a breach of Community legislation, will the Commission say whether it
intends to look into the question and take whatever steps are appropriate to put an end to the pollution of
the town of Chalkis by cement dust as rapidly as possible?

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

(11 January 2001)

The Commission wrote to the Greek authorities on 13 September 1999 asking for information about how
the Chaldis cement factory operates. In particular, with reference to Directive 84/360/EEC (1), it asked for
precise information about emissions of SO2, NOX and dust from the company(cid:146)s various units. At the
legislation in Greece on 9 and
annual meeting on the introduction of Community environmental
10 December 1999, the Greek authorities promised to send detailed information on how the company
works. In February 2000, the Greek authorities sent information about the company(cid:146)s unit D.

The Commission will write to the Greek authorities again to ask for information about the company(cid:146)s
other units. It will ask for more extensive information about NOX emissions from the company(cid:146)s unit D.

(1) Council Directive 84/360/EEC of 28 June 1984 on the combating of air pollution from industrial plants (OJ L 188,

16.7.1984).

(2001/C 187 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3595/00

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

(22 November 2000)

Subject: Extension of Adamas harbour, Island of Milos, Cyclades, Greece

By joint order 69269 of 30 March 1998 the Minister of the Environment, Regional Planning and Public
Works and the Minister of
the Merchant Mar(cid:237)ne of Greece approved the above projected works.
In November 1999 the Greek Government decided to go ahead with the work which was described as
In fact the works are fundamentally
from Community funding.
harbour works in order to benefit
transforming the urban and regional planning of the island by embankment of the entire length of the
marine parade where the road runs along the beach, thus creating carriageways and additional areas
allowing various bars and restaurants to set up tables beside the sea.

The environmental impact assessment does not seem to have been carried out in accordance with the
relevant law (Law 1650/1986, Directive 85/337/EEC (1) and joint ministerial orders Nos 69269/5387/
1990). The Council of State, to which an appeal was made on 11 November 1999 for suspension of the
works, rejected the appeal on 18 January 2000 under a recently adopted provision, Article 35 of Law
2721/1999; the President of the Fifth Chamber of the Council of State merely invoked the concept of
(cid:145)public interest(cid:146), without giving any reasons, and thus authorised resumption of the works (2). An appeal to
annul the administration(cid:146)s decision was also lodged on 8 November 1999. When considering this appeal
the Council of State deemed it admissible and thus contradicted itself by casting doubt on the public-
interest argument advanced in its judgment of 18 January 2000. However, the appeal has been pending
since it was lodged, and this has enabled the promoters of the works to complete them.

The possibility of widespread application of the above provision under Law 2721/1999 is dangerously
restricting Greek citizens(cid:146) right to temporary protection by the courts and is likely to allow the completion
of works financed from Community funds that will have irreversible environmental consequences.

Can the Commission consider the above question and take the necessary measures with regard to the
Greek authorities to ensure compliance with Community law, particularly the rules on environmental
impact assessments?