WRITTEN QUESTION E-0406/01 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Environmental impact of opencast slate mining.
Date: 2001-02-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, environmental impact, environmental protection, infringement of EU law, mining operation

C 235 E/200

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/234)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0406/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Environmental impact of opencast slate mining

(15 February 2001)

In the municipalities of Valdeorras (Ourense/Orense, Galicia) and A Cabreira (Le(cid:243)n), opencast slate mining
is practised on a scale that has a major impact in both production and marketing terms. This mining
amounts to what can only be called an ecological crime, since the waste is discharged directly on to the
mountainside, with no attempt whatever at ecological recovery. In the municipality of Carballeda, the
existence of the waste could lead to the disappearance of the landscape now crowned by the wood known
as (cid:145)O Teixadal(cid:146), a grove of yew-trees unique in Europe. In the locality of Casaio, the authorities are now
permitting slate mining within 100 metres of people(cid:146)s houses, allowing the quarry owners to take over
their neighbours(cid:146) irrigation terrains.

Is the Commission investigating whether this mining is in contravention of Council Directive 85/337/
EEC (1) as regards the environmental impact assessment requirement attaching to such projects?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

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

(3 April 2001)

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

Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and
private projects on the environment, as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (1), only
applies to projects and not to facilities for which an authorisation has already been granted and which are
therefore already in operation

On the basis solely of the information provided by the Honourable Member, the Commission is not able to
determine whether the instance mentioned by the Honourable Member involves a project within the
meaning of Directive 85/337/EEC referred to above.

Since it is impossible to identify the Community law that might apply in this instance, the Commission
cannot state any views concerning any infringement of Community environmental law.

However, the Commission does not rule out the possibility of investigating the problem raised by the
Honourable Member, assuming that that Member were able to provide it with information enabling it to
presume that there was an infringement of Community law.

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2001/C 235 E/235)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0409/01

by Robert Sturdy (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Approval of state aid to combat classical swine fever

(8 February 2001)

The European Commission is aware of the recent outbreaks of classical swine fever in the Eastern Region
of the United Kingdom. Rules governing the legality of state aid designed to compensate producers with an
outbreak on the farm and those in the exclusion zone seem to be fairly clear.