WRITTEN QUESTION E-1023/01 by Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos (PPE-DE) and Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Water shortage in Thessaly.
Date: 2001-03-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, conservation of resources, water management, water management in agriculture, water protection, water resources

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/151

(2001/C 340 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1023/01

by Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos (PPE-DE)
and Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Water shortage in Thessaly

According to recent Greek press reports, Thessaly is suffering from an acute shortage of water. The present
situation is extremely alarming and is characterised by a decline in rainfall, an increase in cultivated areas,
overexploitation of ground water supplies and problems in replenishing supplies from these sources. Over
the last few years rainfall
in the region has declined by over 30 millimetres annually, while a large
proportion of water in the Rivers Pinios, Enippea, Farsalitis and Titarisio flows into the sea and is thus lost
to agriculture, work on the diversion of the upper Acheloos River has come to a standstill and the dams
for gathering water are inadequate. The water-table is steadily falling every year, since 13 000 wells have
been bored to find water at a great depth.

81 % of the total irrigated land (cid:129) 88 300 hectares (cid:129) is irrigated using underground water sources, the rest
(cid:129) 20 700 hectares (cid:129) being irrigated with surface water. Moreover, 70 % of this total is irrigated from
private wells and a mere 30 % from collective state projects. Furthermore, the increase in irrigated areas by
26 088,8 hectares over the last decade (cid:129) without the necessary land improvement schemes to accompany
this increase (cid:129) and the imbalance of supply and demand mean that farmers with irrigated land in this
region are facing serious problems.

Local community leaders, agronomists and farmers argue that the root of the crisis is mismanagement
rather than an essential lack of water. They say the problem could be solved by using winter rainwater,
transporting water from other regions and carrying out infrastructure work, such as dams, reservoirs,
coated water channels and closed systems and at the same time pushing ahead as fast as possible with the
projects on the Rivers Acheloos, Smokovo and Karla.

In view of the above, will the Commission say:

1.

Is it aware of this state of affairs?

2. Are the measures in respect of the irrigation projects and specifically the diversion of the River

Acheloos deemed eligible for funding?

3. Has it received proposals in this connection from the Greek State?

4. What action does it intend to take if it has received such proposals?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2001)

The Commission is aware of the problem of the management of water resources in Greece, which seems
particularly severe in the plain of Thessaly. During negotiation of the Community support framework
(CSF) for the 2000-2006 programming period, the Commission considered these problems with the Greek
authorities. Concrete measures and actions, including for example the rehabilitation of the former Lake
Karla in Thessaly, were agreed and included in the CSF.

The Greek authorities submitted several proposals for the management of water and agricultural resources
as part of the agricultural measures. Thus the new plan to reduce nitrates in the Thessaly plain will be
extended to 35 100 ha under the agri-environmental measures (Chapter VI of Council Regulation (EC)
No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural
Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations (1)) thus covering
the action plan for the (cid:145)nitrates(cid:146) directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC of
a part of
12 December 1991 concerning the protection of water against pollution by nitrates from agricultural (2)
sources) originally planned to cover 500 000 ha. Moreover, the Thessaly regional operational programme
for 2000-2006 provided for reparcelling and related work on approximately 4 100 ha, while it is also
planned to complete work on using surface water (e.g. completion and development of the Agioneri and
Panagiotiko dams and of the Smocovo tunnel, etc.). Any new operation will also have to comply with the

the area of

C 340 E/152

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

principle of economic and sustainable water management and during implementation of the programme
every care will be taken to regulate recourse to ground waters by boreholes and, if necessary, restrictive
measures, or even bans, imposed on the digging and use of boreholes.

The diversion of the Acheloos river towards Thessaly is not part of this CSF and the Commission received
no proposal for part-financing for it. Such a proposal was submitted in 1994 under the CSF for 1994-
1999 but lapsed because the Greek authorities took no further action on it. If this proposal were submitted
again, the Commission would examine it in the light of the rules in force.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.

(2001/C 340 E/170)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1033/01

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 April 2001)

Subject: Destruction of Maytenus sengalensis plants in the Artos del Ejido Site of Community Interest,

Almer(cid:237)a (Spain)

The Artos del Ejido area is located in Almer(cid:237)a province (southern Spain) and it was declared a Site of
Community Interest (SCI) on 26 January 2001 under the Habitats directive.

Despite the protection afforded by this directive, environmental associations, social organisations and
political parties have condemned the actions of the El Ejido local authorities, who have been destroying the
vegetation of the SCI since 19 January 2001. Fifty hectares (equivalent to 80 % of the SCI) have so far been
destroyed.

The SCI hosts a most unusual ecosystem which is specially adapted to the semi-desert climate prevailing in
the area and which is home to species protected under the Birds directive (e.g. the stone-curlew) and to
valuable flora such as the Maytenus sengalensis, a plant which grows only in this protected area and in
North Africa.

The local and regional authorities have so far done virtually nothing to prevent the ecosystem in question
from being completely destroyed.

What action is the Commission intending to take in order to ensure that the Birds and Habitats directives
are applied and that the environment, the flora and the fauna of the Artos del Ejido nature reserve are
protected?

What action does it intend to take in order to restore the part of the SCI which has already been
destroyed?

Can the Commission confirm whether or not
(the authority
responsible) has received Community funds intended to protect the area concerned? If so, what EU
programmes or funds are involved? Has the Commission determined whether or not the funds in question
have been properly used? If they have not, will it seek financial compensation?

the Andalusia Regional Government

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

(17 May 2001)

The Commission was not aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member. However, it has
checked that the area was proposed by Spain as a Site of Community Importance (SCI) (cid:129) ES 6110014
(cid:145)Artos del Ejido(cid:146) (cid:129) for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network, under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of
21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1). This area contains at
least four of the habitat types listed in Annex I to the Directive, including two priority ones (*5220 (cid:129)
Arborescent matorrals with ziziphus and 6220* (cid:129) Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals (Thero-
Brachypodietea).