WRITTEN QUESTION E-0983/01 by Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Risk which the Itoiz reservoir presents to public safety.
Date: 2001-03-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Navarre, engineering structure, environmental risk prevention, industrial hazard, nuclear safety

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/65

A list of the main projects under the pacts considered to promote equality is being sent to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of Parliament. Some of these projects are to be continued and
extended in the new Structural Fund programming period 2000-2006.

Among the projects with a major favourable impact on equal opportunities, the Commission would
mention the women(cid:146)s employment foundation, FAST, presented at the November 1999 (cid:145)ideas exchange(cid:146).
This foundation, promoted by the Vienna pact, is intended especially for women with fairly basic skills, to
help them broaden the range of employment opportunities open to them. Other exemplary measures will
be described (after verification by experts), in the guide to transferable instruments and good practice
gleaned from the territorial employment pacts, to appear in June 2001.

Gender equality is a priority throughout the European Union, and will be taken into account in the
thematic evaluation of the territorial employment pacts, to start by the end of 2001.

(2001/C 350 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0966/01

by Ian Paisley (NI) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Secondment from the European Commission

Could the Commission indicate the terms and dates of employment and the amount of European monies
paid to Mr Logue and Mr Larkin who have been seconded from the European Commission to the office of
the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2001)

As part of the evidence of its practical commitment to the Northern Ireland peace process and the
administration of the newly created Northern Ireland Assembly, the Commission has approved the
secondments of Mr Larkin, an official of grade A3, and Mr Logue, an official of grade A4, as special
advisers to the Deputy First Minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers of the Northern
Ireland Executive. These secondments are due to terminate in the third quarter of 2002. The salaries and
allowances paid by the Commission to Mr Larkin and Mr Logue are commensurate with their respective
grade and domestic arrangements (family allowance, education allowance, etc.).

(2001/C 350 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0983/01

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE)
and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Risk which the Itoiz reservoir presents to public safety

The Confederaci(cid:243)n HidrogrÆfica del Ebro [Ebrus Hydrographic Confederation] has decided to begin filling
the Itoiz reservoir in Navarra this spring, despite a new report by Professor Arturo Rebollo Alonso,
a geologist and engineer who maintains that the project presents a serious threat to public safety on
account of the instability of the clay soil found in the area in which the dam is located. According to the
report it is highly probable that land slippage will block the filters built into the dam, thereby causing the
water level to increase and thus exposing nearby towns to the risk of flooding and placing extreme
pressure on the structure of the dam. This could make the reservoir overflow or even cause a breach in the
dam, which would be a full-blown human disaster and would threaten the safety of the Asco nuclear
power station.

The new report backs up earlier studies,
describes the project as constituting (cid:145)maximum risk(cid:146). Antonio Casas, Head of

including a report by Spain(cid:146)s Environment Ministry, which
the Department of

C 350 E/66

Official Journal of the European Communities

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11.12.2001

Geodynamics at the University of Zaragoza, also submitted a report a few years ago in which he warned of
the (cid:145)disastrous consequences(cid:146) which may ensue if the reservoir is filled.

1.
Does the Commission not consider that the Spanish Government is contravening Articles 1, 6 and 17
of the Convention on Nuclear Safety which was drawn up under the auspices of the International Atomic
Energy Agency and to which Spain and Euratom are signatory?

2. Would the Commission support
local communities and international environmental groups,
including Friends of the Earth Europe, the WWF and the International Rivers Network, which are calling
on the Spanish authorities to impose a moratorium on the filling of the reservoir until an international
group of experts have certified that it is safe?

3.
Is the Commission aware of the significance and the impact of the Itoiz reservoir within the National
Hydrological Plan as an item of water redistribution infrastructure within the projected scheme for
diverting water from the Ebrus?

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

(6 July 2001)

1.
The Euratom Community has acceded to the Convention on Nuclear Safety. The scope of the
Euratom Community competence under the Convention, except for Articles 15 and 16(2) thereof, is under
the assessment of
for the Commission to say whether Spain is in
the Court of
contravention of the Convention.

Justice.

is not

It

However, it must be mentioned that Chapter 3 of Title II of the Euratom Treaty headed (cid:145)Health and Safety(cid:146)
and the secondary legislation adopted thereunder are laying down rules for protection of general public
against risk arising from ionizing radiation, both in normal circumstances and in case of radiological
emergencies. In accordance with Article 124 of the Euratom Treaty, the Commission will ensure that these
rules are correctly applied in the specific context of the Itoiz reservoir, particularly in relation to the
nuclear plant of Asco.

2.
As regards the environmental law deriving from the EC Treaty, the Commission is, under Article 211
(ex Article 155) of the EC Treaty, responsible for ensuring that Community law is correctly applied by the
Member States. However, it has to be stressed that the Commission is unable to intervene in matters which
are not covered by Community law.

The safety of the reservoir at the Itoiz dam is a matter which falls outside the scope of Community
environmental law. Questions relating to the technical quality of a project are outside the scope of the
impact assessment directive (1). There are thus no legal grounds for the Commission to take any action
with regard to this issue.

3.
The Spanish Government has informed the Commission of its proposed National Hydrological Plan.
The Commission has brought to the attention of the Spanish authorities the need to ensure, in the course
of the formal adoption procedure for the final Plan and subsequently in the process of its implementation,
the full respect of all relevant Community environmental legislation and policy.

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC (OJ L 175, 5.7.1985).

(2001/C 350 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1000/01

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: 1999 discharge (cid:129) agriculture

The information provided by the Commission in connection with question 2.7 of the second questionnaire
on the granting of the discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European
Union for the 1999 financial year does not reply to the Questions raised in various aspects. Can the
Commission therefore clarify the following points: