WRITTEN QUESTION E-0324/01 by Dagmar Roth-Behrendt (PSE) to the Commission. Information on the volume of EU funding flowing to Berlin in 1999 and 2000.
Date: 2001-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Germany, capital city

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/33

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

(26 April 2001)

Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and
private projects on the environment (1) stipulates that projects likely to have significant effects on the
environment by virtue of their nature, size or location must be made subject to an assessment of their
effects (environmental impact assessment (cid:129) EIA). Classes of projects covered by the Directive are listed in
the two Annexes. Projects listed in Annex I require an EIA procedure. Under Article 4(2), projects of the
their
classes listed in Annex II are made subject
characteristics so require.

to an EIA where Member States consider that

Pursuant to Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (2), which modified Directive 85/337/EEC,
Member States are obliged,
through a case-by-case
examination, or through thresholds or criteria they themselves set, whether the project is to be made
subject to an EIA. However, projects for which requests for development consent were submitted to
a competent authority before 14 March 1999 are governed by the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC
prior to amendment.

for projects listed in Annex II,

to determine,

The project mentioned by the Honourable Member (cid:129) building work on a seaside complex (cid:129) is not
described in sufficient detail to enable the Commission to assess whether it can be considered to fall within
the scope of the abovementioned Directive.

On the basis of the information given by the Honourable Member, given the lack of grounds of complaint
regarding the application of Community law, no breach of that law can be identified at present.

The fact that the Honourable Member does not identify the project makes it difficult to check whether this
seaside complex is receiving any funding. According to information sent by the regional authorities,
a project entitled (cid:145)Bagni Fiume(cid:146) located on the Antignano coast and involving the refurbishment of an
existing establishment appears to have been co-financed on the basis of the single programming document
for Objective 2 during the 1997-1999 programming period.

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

(2001/C 318 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0324/01

by Dagmar Roth-Behrendt (PSE) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Information on the volume of EU funding flowing to Berlin in 1999 and 2000

Via which projects and Funds, and in what amounts, did Community funds flow to Berlin in 1999 and
2000 (separate figures please):

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) (cid:129) Guidance and Guarantee
Section

from the European Social Fund (ESF)

from the Community(cid:146)s research programmes

from the Community(cid:146)s energy programmes

from the Community(cid:146)s environmental programmes

from the Community(cid:146)s transport programme

from the Community(cid:146)s education and youth programmes

C 318 E/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

9.

from the Community(cid:146)s health programmes

10. from the Community(cid:146)s social programmes

11. from the programmes for NGOs

12. from the cultural programmes

13. from the programmes for cooperation with third countries (CEEC, CIS)

14. from the town-twinning programmes

15. from other Community programmes?

How successful in the view of the EU, have the measures been?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2001)

Further to its answer of 23 March 2001 (1), the Commission is sending the information requested direct to
the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001, p. 259.

(2001/C 318 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0327/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 February 2001)

Subject: Chlorine in swimming pools

Press reports based on laboratory research carried out by the University of Louvain have caused
widespread consternation, since this research has found that chlorine used to purify water causes severe
lung problems among children under nine years of age.

Is the Commission aware of the results of this research and, if so, what are its views on the matter?

What measures does it intend to take?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

The study mentioned by the Honourable Member was carried out by the University of Louvain in order to
assess the effects of atmospheric pollution on the pulmonary health of children, comparing children living
in urban areas and children living in rural areas of Belgium. The study reports, among other findings,
a cause-effect relation between frequenting indoor swimming pools as part of school sporting/recreational
activities and compromised pulmonary health. Although no specific pathologies were identified, the health
status of the lungs of the examined children was found to have decreased lung protective barrier function
and being more prone to develop asthmatic type of allergic reactions. The authors postulated that
a possible reason for their observations might be the inadequate ventilation of the indoor swimming pools
involved in the study. The poor ventilation of the pools would have allowed for the accumulation in the
air and subsequent inhalation by children of chlorine-derived toxic chemical species (hypochlorite and
chloramines).

The results of this study are hardly surprising given the toxicity profiles of chlorine and its derivatives. In
fact, effects similar to those reported in the study have been reported in the past following prolonged
exposure to chlorine and its derivatives under closed or poorly ventilated conditions. These toxic gases are
normally formed in all use situations where chlorine or hypochlorite (bleach) is used to sanitise and
disinfect water bodies (drinking water, swimming pools, toilets, etc.) that are likely to contain organic
matter. In use situations conducted outdoors or under ventilation these gases are diluted to background air