WRITTEN QUESTION E-2548/01 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Restructuring of the banks of the river Duero in Zamora (Spain).
Date: 2001-09-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Castile-Leon, complaint to the Commission, environmental impact, exchange of information, protection of animal life, protection of plant life, town and country planning, watercourse

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/45

Under the new Framework Programme proposal, RTD on renewable energy sources may also be included
in activities for supporting Union policies and for strengthening it’s European Research Area through the
co-ordination of Community and Member State activities. It is expected that Community research can be
instrumental by bringing together leading actors and thereby helping to strengthen Europe’s position in the
international competition.

(1) OJ C 180 E, 26.6.2001.
(2) OJ C 240 E, 28.8.2001.

(2002/C 134 E/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2548/01

by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Restructuring of the banks of the river Duero in Zamora (Spain)

Zamora council is planning a series of projects in the city affecting the river Duero and its islands. Some of
those projects, such as reforestation, cleaning up and improving the banks and the creation of Las Pallas
park, may have a positive effect. Nevertheless, activities on Bañaderos and Conejos island and the planned
real-estate development in the Las Pallas park area,
including three car-parks, will have a tremendous
impact on the environment and will affect protection areas for birds and the conservation of natural
habitats.

This might be in breach of the following Community directives:

< Directive 85/337/EEC (1) on environmental impact assessment;

< Directive 79/409/EEC (2) on the conservation of wild birds;

< Directive 92/43/EEC (3) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.

Can the Commission check whether these directives are being properly applied?

Can the Commission confirm whether Community funding has been granted for these projects?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2001)

The Honourable Member mentions three environmental directives which could, in her view, apply to the
context of the project concerning the restructuring of the banks of River Duero in Zamora, Spain, and asks
the Commission what measures it intends to take to ensure that Community law is complied with in this
case.

The Directives mentioned by the Honourable Member are Council Directive 79/409/EEC, of 2 April 1979,
on the protection of wild birds, Council Directive 92/43/EEC, of 21 may 1992, on the conservation of
natural habitats and wild fauna and flora, and Council Directive 85/337/EEC, of 27 June 1985, on the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

With regard to Council Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC, the Commission considers that they are not
relevant in this case since no Special Protected Areas, Sites of Community Interest, protected species or
priority habitats have been identified within the city of Zamora, where the project is to be implemented.
No such areas, sites, species or habitats are therefore likely to be affected by the project.

C 134 E/46

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Concerning Council Directive 85/337/EEC, as modified by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March
1997 (1), it should be noted that the project mentioned by the Honourable Member may fall within its
scope, since it is listed in Annex II thereof (point 10, e) ‘canalisation and flood-relief works’).

With regard to projects of the classes listed in Annex II, these shall be made subject to an assessment, in
accordance with Articles 5 to 10, where Member States consider that their characteristics so require.
Among the elements that the Member States will take into account in order to decide whether a project
listed in Annex II is to be subject to an environmental
impact assessment, article 2 of the Directive
mentions criteria such as its nature, size or location.

The facts raised by the Honourable Member are also the subject of a complaint received by the
Commission.
the Commission has requested
information from the Spanish authorities in order to verify whether this project fully complies with
applicable Community law.

In the framework of

the handling of

this complaint,

The Commission will not hesitate to take all the measures necessary to ensure that Community law is
complied with in this case.

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

(2002/C 134 E/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2552/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Communication between the Commission and the public

(19 September 2001)

The personal letter sent directly by the Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs to thousands
and thousands of firms and professionals, as well as meeting the objective of making Europeans aware of
their crucial date with the euro, also had the effect of making each of the addressees grateful for the fact
that such a high-ranking figure in the Commission wrote to them personally on a specific matter of
particular importance.

If we are looking for ways in which the Commission might move closer to Community citizens in a more
direct and personal way, there is no doubt that this letter sets a good example.

Can the Commission say whether, following the success of this information campaign based on personal
letters, it will add this approach to the list of possible ways in which it should move closer to Community
citizens as they themselves wish, given that they are gradually coming to understand that the Commission
is having a growing influence on their lives?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(18 October 2001)

The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for expressing his appreciation for the actions taken in
communicating directly with the public on the issue of the Euro.

As the Honourable Member will be aware, on 27 June 2001, the Commission adopted a Communication
on ‘A new framework for co-operation on activities concerning the information and communication policy
of the European Union’ (1).
Its aim is to establish a new inter-institutional relationship based on a
framework for co-operation on activities concerning the information and communication policy of the
Union. This is the first step in a process that will lead to a more effective and coherent strategy that
improves the quality and delivery of information and stimulates greater public engagement.