WRITTEN QUESTION E-1266/01 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Special regional planning studies.
Date: 2001-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, environmental protection, town and country planning

C 364 E/70

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

The WHO resolution explicitly urges Member States to ensure global compliance with the International
Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk substitutes and subsequent WHA Resolutions, with regard to labelling as
well as all forms of advertising and commercial promotion.

The responsibility for implementing such a Resolution, as is the case with all WHO Resolutions, lies with
the Member States of WHO.

(2001/C 364 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1266/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: Special regional planning studies

Further to my Written Question No E-3458/00 (1) concerning the special regional planning studies for the
Cyclades and the Commission(cid:146)s answer, I would raise the same matter in relation to the island of Paros.

the Central Council

the Cyclades claims that

In a complaint to the Ministry for the Environment, Regional Planning and Public Works, the Architects(cid:146)
Association of
for Planning, Development and the
Environment discussed the adoption of the special regional planning study for the island of Paros in
early March without taking account of the proposals for environmental protection contained in the
original study funded under the Community(cid:146)s Envireg initiative and measure 4.2 of the (cid:145)Environment(cid:146)
operational programme. The (cid:145)Ayios Nikolaos(cid:146) Society for the Conservation of Paros has also submitted
a detailed official complaint to the Commission(cid:146)s Directorate-General for the Environment and Regional
Development, accusing the Greek authorities of infringing Community rules on the funding of the special
regional planning study for Paros, as well as Community Directives 85/337/EEC (2), 79/409/EEC (3) and 92/
43/EEC (4). Furthermore, the recorded minutes of a recent official meeting of the Paros Municipal Council
reveal that the study awaiting approval by the Central Council for Planning, Development and the
Environment designates only half of the coastline at Molos as protected instead of its entire length, as
proposed by the study originally funded by the Commission.

The Commission:

1. What action will it take in response to such serious alleged infringements of Community law and the
options chosen by the Greek authorities, which are at odds with the purpose of the funding,
i.e. environmental protection?

2. Will it allow the plan to build a (cid:129) mainly commercial (cid:129) port at Molos on the island of Paros to go
ahead despite the proposals to declare it a total conservation area and the absence of a feasibility study
for such a project?

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001, p. 129.
(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(3) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2001)

With regard to the implementation of the regional planning studies part-financed principally under the
Regional Environment Initiative (Envireg), the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
answer to his Question E-3458/00 (1).

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/71

The Commission is currently examining the complaint to which the Honourable Member refers. However,
at this stage, no violation of Community law has been established, since the region to which the
complainants refer does not appear to form part of the protected areas. Moreover, its responsibilities and
the respect for the principle of subsidiarity do not permit the Commission to take a view on whether or
not amendment of a regional planning study was justified.

According to the information received from the Greek authorities, the project in question is not part-
financed under the Structural Funds and so the Commission is not consulted about its planning and
implementation.

If this project is proposed for part-financing, the Commission will ask the Greek authorities to respect the
Community and national legislation in force, in particular as regards environmental protection.

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001, p. 129.

(2001/C 364 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1277/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(2 May 2001)

Subject: Animal slaughter and pollution

According to the news, in the United Kingdom the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease has led to the
slaughter of more than 500 000 animals. The slaughtered animals have been buried in mass graves or
burnt on pyres. Apparently another 200 000 heads of cattle await the same fate.

Can the Commission state:

(cid:129) what measures have been taken to prevent risks of environmental pollution (of the air and ground

water);

(cid:129) whether the people living in the areas concerned are being protected from the consequences of any

such pollution;

(cid:129) whether there are any guarantees for other European countries that products from potentially
contaminated regions have been controlled, both for the risk of direct contamination (polluted water)
and that of indirect contamination (products cultivated on polluted land or which have been irrigated
with polluted water);

(cid:129) whether it will inform Parliament in detail on the environmental situation after the slaughter of such

an incredible number of cattle?

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

(19 July 2001)

As a part of controlling the foot-and-mouth epidemic a large number of animal carcasses have to be
disposed of. Because there is no risk-free approach it is essential that the disposal of the animal carcasses is
handled with proper regard to environmental protection and to public health and that the necessary
measures are taken as part of the control strategy. The measures taken by the British Department of Health
to prevent
risks of environmental pollution are available on: http://www.doh.gov.uk/fmdguidance/
fmdsummary.pdf (guidance on the building of pyres, guidance on the use of materials for pyres, guidance
on ash disposal arising from pyres and mobile incinerators, (cid:133)).

The issue of animal waste is addressed at Community level by several directives covering environmental
and veterinary aspects. Specifically with regard to the disposal of animal carcasses, the Commission has put
forward a proposal for a Regulation (1) on animal by-products not intended for human consumption
designed to amend current
framework. This draft
Regulation lays down animal and public health rules for the processing and/or disposal of this waste.

legislation and to create a comprehensive legal