WRITTEN QUESTION E-2531/01 by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Application of an ecotax on the island of Lanzarote.
Date: 2001-09-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Canary Islands, EU programme, environmental protection, environmental tax, tourism policy

C 160 E/20

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

(2002/C 160 E/020)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2530/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Restriction of duty paid goods entering the UK

What is the Commission’s current view of the UK Government’s policy of restricting the quantity of duty
paid goods which can be imported into the UK by individual travellers?

Is the Commission aware of the increasing practice by UK Customs and Excise of seizure of the personal
assets (normally motor vehicles) of travellers who do no more than exercise their freedoms under EU law?

What courses of action are open to the Commission to uphold the freedom of travellers to import the
abovementioned goods into the UK?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2001)

The Commission has received a number of complaints concerning the way the United Kingdom applies the
Community rules on excise duties to travellers entering the United Kingdom with excisable goods
purchased in other Member States. The complaints have concerned both the aspect of the quantities of
goods and the seizures of goods and vehicles. The Commission is at present actively looking into these
complaints, and will examine the United Kingdom’s policy in the light of the findings of this investigation.

If the Commission considers that a Member State fails to fulfil its obligations under the EC Treaty, it may
initiate a so-called infringement procedure under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty. This
procedure, designed to ensure that the Member States conform with Community law, can ultimately lead
to a trial before the Court of Justice.

(2002/C 160 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2531/01

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Application of an ecotax on the island of Lanzarote

(19 September 2001)

According to information to which I have had access, the Commission is studying the feasibility of
introducing an environment tax (ecotax) on the island of Lanzarote which would be financed from the Life
programme. That initiative would be part of a package of 20 environmental projects to be carried out in
Spain, which the Commission might fund to the tune of EUR 8,6 million.

If this information is accurate, what objectives would the introduction of an ecotax in Lanzarote have, and
what technical fiscal conditions would apply?

What are the remaining 19 projects under consideration for possible Commission funding in Spain, apart
from the Lanzarote project?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 November 2001)

The project ‘Eco-standard Lanzarote’ appears in the list of projects approved for the Life exercice for the
year 2000 by the Life Committee held on 18 June 2001, and by the Commission on 14 August 2001. The
beneficiary, and, therefore executor of the project, is the Municipality of Lanzarote. Although co-financed
by the Commission, this is not a Community study.

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/21

The aims of the project in question, as they are collected in the form submitted to the Commission, are: to
explore the viability and implementation of a model of ECO-standard (environmental tax) for the island of
Lanzarote that permits directing a change of model towards sustainable tourism, with a view to:

= Giving to the Island a new financial tool that, besides other stimulated measures of management of
territorial use of the island and regional government, helps to limit human pressure on the Island’s
system, in particular resulting from tourism. To avoid a greater overload of the Island’s capacity, so
responding to the demands of the Island’s population;

= Creating a channel of awareness, and trying to compromise formulas of tourism within the Island;

= Trying guarantees of participation and social control in the use of the received funds.

Technical fiscal terms are not defined in the project.

A list of the 19 remaining projects approved to be co-financed in Spain are sent direct to the Honourable
Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

(2002/C 160 E/022)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2532/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Damage to the cultural heritage in Cyprus

According to information recently forthcoming (between 25 June and 29 July 2001), illegal excavations
are taking place near the ancient site of Salamina in the occupied area of Cyprus.

This is also referred to by the European Court of Human Rights in its resolution (10 May 2001) regarding
the Fourth Inter-State Application by the Republic of Cyprus against Turkey, indicating that Turkey is
responsible for these illegal excavations.

Given the irrefutable evidence of systematic attempts to destroy and damage the cultural heritage and
character of the Turkish-occupied sector from 1974 to the present date, including the destruction and
looting of places of worship and the illegal export of priceless ancient artefacts for sale abroad:

1. What action will the Commission take to bring an end to the illegal excavations near the ancient site

of Salamina?

2. Has the Commission taken or will it take any measures to protect the historic monuments and, more

generally, the cultural heritage of the Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2001)

1.
The Commission is aware of the excavations being carried out at the Salamis site in the northern part
of the island as are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and other
international organizations. Unfortunately the de facto division of the island creates problems of this
nature and makes it difficult to take any immediate action. However, the Commission’s delegation in
Nicosia is monitoring as far as it can what is happening at the Salamis site.