WRITTEN QUESTION E-1818/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Commission Ispra Joint Research Centre (Italy).
Date: 2001-06-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, Joint Research Centre, administration of the Institutions, organisation of research

C 364 E/212

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Given that many observers (the local press, the Institute of Geological and Mineral Research, etc.) have
noted serious deficiencies in water storage projects, what are the Commission(cid:146)s views on those projects,
which have been funded under the 1st and 2nd Community Support frameworks, and what action has it
taken?

What steps have been taken to focus on the water shortage problem as a matter of priority under the 3rd
CSF? What measures have been taken on which islands and what schedules have been drawn up?

The European Union is funding a management study for the development of water resources on the
Aegean islands which is due for completion in the autumn of 2001. Will the findings of that study be used
in the 3rd CSF, particularly to develop various methods of dealing with the water shortage (dams/
reservoirs, limits and techniques for boreholes, traditional tanks for collecting rainwater on a small scale,
desalination, conveyance of water, etc.)?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

The Commission is aware of the importance of the problem of water for the islands of the Aegean Sea.
It therefore part-financed a series of works to collect surface water under the Community support
frameworks (CSFs) for 1989-1993 and 1994-1999.

The Commission was informed that some of these projects were subject to technical delays and/or
problems and therefore carried out a study on 26 projects of this type (small dams and small artificial lakes
or (cid:145)hill catchments(cid:146)). It sent the conclusions of this study to the regional authorities of the Southern and
Northern Aegean on 12 November 1998, asking them to take the measures required to complete the
projects and use the water so collected. The Commission also informed these authorities that, if some of
these projects were not completed and brought
it would recover the Community
contribution to their construction. The Commission recently sent a reminder letter to these authorities and
to the Greek national Ministry for Economic Affairs.

into operation,

The Commission considers that the problem of water in Greece stems mainly from the way this resource is
managed. This is why, when negotiating the current CSF (2000-06), it insisted to the Greek authorities that
water management should have an important place, although, of course, the choice of projects is a matter
for them.

According to the information sent to the Commission, a study has been launched on the management of
water resources on the Cyclades (not all
the Interreg IIC
Community Initiative (cid:145)Drought(cid:146) includes provision for this and other studies. Responsibility for completion
of these studies and the use made of the results is a matter for the Member State.

the islands). Programming for Greece of

(2001/C 364 E/233)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1818/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Commission Ispra Joint Research Centre (Italy)

(21 June 2001)

For some time the Commission has been pursuing a rather ambiguous policy towards the Ispra research
centre and quietly shifting some of its activities and hence personnel to other Union research sites not due
to be expanded in the near future (for example the Petten centre).

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/213

According to an unofficial report, the Director-General of the Ispra centre announced to the research staff
last week that one of the four institutes operating at Ispra was to be closed.

1.

Can the Commission confirm the report?

If so, is the closure to be interpreted as a move towards possible future conversion, reorganisation, or

2.
the breakup of the Ispra centre?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2001)

The Joint Research Centre(cid:146)s (JRC) Ispra site currently comprises four Institutes: Environment (EI), Space
Applications (SAI), Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP) and Systems, Informatics and Safety (ISIS).

An independent assessment panel concluded that there was a (cid:145)substantial overlap(cid:146) between the activities of
SAI, and those of EI and ISIS. These findings are confirmed by an internal audit carried out within the JRC.

Moreover, the objectives of SAI are technology focussed, whereas the other Institutes have clear links to
Community policies.

The Commission will therefore re-organise these three Institutes into two new ones that will be identified
with policy objectives rather than a particular technology.

One institute will be a focus for activities whose main objective is to maintain Europe(cid:146)s increasingly
vulnerable environment (cid:129) both by supporting Community environmental policies and by supporting the
integration of an environmental component into other policies. Emphasis will be given to supporting the
strategy for sustainable development.

The other institute will aim to provide better protection of the security of the individual, the taxpayer and,
increasingly, the consumer.

The principle of these changes has been explained to the staff that will be involved in the re-organisation.

These changes are part of a wider initiative to focus and concentrate more the JRC(cid:146)s activities on the key
priorities linked to its mission in support of Community policies. They are designed to ensure that the JRC
has a sustainable future, integrated into the European Research Area. There are therefore no plans for the
breakup of the Ispra centre.

(2001/C 364 E/234)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1835/01

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 June 2001)

Subject: Health implications of enlargement

The Treaty of Maastricht brought public health matters within the EU(cid:146)s sphere of competence, subject to
compliance with the subsidiarity principle. Community action in this field is directed towards the
prevention of diseases, in particular the major health scourges, by promoting research into their causes and
their transmission, as well as health information and education.

Health is not one of the absolute priorities with a view to enlargement, although it is used as an indicator
of the problems and challenges to be overcome by the candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe,
and it should therefore be accorded proper importance in the transition policies. Health is an essential
factor in economic development and should be recognised and treated as a priority.