WRITTEN QUESTION E-2889/01 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. ERDF project rehabilitation of the Los Filtros district of Manises (Valencia, Spain).
Date: 2001-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, European Regional Development Fund, Structural Funds, application of EU law, countryside conservation, cultural heritage, heritage protection, principle of subsidiarity

C 229 E/2

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

feasibility of coordinated road-rail planning, allocating a
Authority) have assessed the technical
proportion of the new motorway carriageway to a completely new railway line, which could be built
at practically no extra cost and environmental impact, since they are already included in the cost of
the motorway (2)

(1) The Sardar-Villanovaforru section, from km 47 to km 58 & Lit 50 billion; the Mogoro section, from km 58 to
km 65 & Lit 58 million; the Uras stretch, from km 65 to km 69,5, first and second sections & Lit 39 + 35 billion;
the Uras-Macomer stretch, second section, from km 75 to km 79 & Lit 34 billion.

(2) Except for a 100 km section between Cagliari and Oristano, the Sardinian railways (belonging to the Italian State

Railways network) currently have commercial speeds of less than 70 km per hour!.

Supplementary answer
by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2002)

Community part-financing for the road in question was granted under the Objective 1 Operational
Programme Infrastrutture di
the 1994-1999
programming period.

trasporto stradale (Road Transport

Infrastructure)

for

The Italian authorities, and in particular the Azienda nazionale autonoma strade (ANAS) as the authority
responsible for project implementation, have stated that the environmental impact procedure was properly
observed and did in fact cover the construction stage. Given the low traffic volume, these authorities
considered that the procedure need not cover the impact of diversion onto temporary routes. Further, it
has been possible to use some parts of the old road, thus permitting dualling of the infrastructure over a
the planning
number of stretches. No integrated rail/motorway infrastructure has been envisaged:
specifications for the project did not allow for this possibility.

For the current 2000-2006 programming period, at the meeting on 19 December 2001 of the Monitoring
Committee for the Transport OP the Commission asked the managing authority for the programme to
check on the safety and service implications of the construction sites for the new projects proposed for
part-financing. The Commission also strongly pressed for project selection to be based on better
integration of road and rail transport.

(2002/C 229 E/002)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2889/01

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(22 October 2001)

Subject: ERDF project ‘rehabilitation of the Los Filtros district of Manises’ (Valencia, Spain)

In the town of Manises (in the Region of Valencia) a project entitled ‘restoration of the environment in a
run-down area, with protection of a natural area & the urban surroundings of Los Filtros in Manises’. This
project, which benefits from Community funding via the ERDF, has led to the disappearance of
architectural features dating from the beginning of the last century, which were hitherto protected by the
competent authorities as part of the historic and artistic heritage, in accordance with the Manises PGOU
(general town-planning project).

Furthermore the project has received ERDF funding for supposed restoration of the district, whilst in fact
what is happening is that a wooded area is being replaced with modern design features which improve
neither the landscape nor the urban environment.

Both Regulation No 1260/99 (1) on the structural funds and Regulation 1783/99 (2) on the ERDF specify
that the Funds will not finance projects which interfere with the protection of the natural and cultural
heritage. Article 2(2)(d) of the ERDF Regulation specifically mentions the need to protect the cultural
heritage.

26.9.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Since one of the uses of the ERDF is to rehabilitate run-down areas, can the Commission say:

& on the basis of what criteria funding was granted for the above project, which includes the demolition

of architectural features protected by the Manises PGOU;

& what supervision mechanisms were used to ensure correct allocation of ERDF funding in this

particular case?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 213, 13.8.1999, p. 1.

Supplementary answer
by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2002)

The Commission reminds the Honourable Member that under the subsidiarity principle both the choice of
the individual projects part-financed by the Structural Funds within each programme and their execution
are an exclusive Member State responsibility. It does however exercise vigilance that, in line with Council
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural
Funds (1), all projects part-financed by them comply with Community law. Should they not do so it would
withdraw the aid and take steps for recovery of the amount paid.

The information received from the Spanish authorities is that the restoration project to which the
Honourable Member refers is part-financed under the local Operational Programme for the period 2000-
2006 and that its execution is in line with the general redevelopment plan for level II protection.

The project’s primary goal is a harmonious architectural solution for the Los Filtros area that enhances its
visual integration with the adjacent urban area. The solution adopted by the responsible authorities allows
incorporation of the architectural features of the entry portecol, which is in a good state of preservation.
Within the site the primary work is restoration of landscape zones and new planting in keeping with the
pine trees already present.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 229 E/003)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2994/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Subject: Terrorist threat in Somalia

They are recent reports that Somalia, the scene of a tribal war which has now been going on for years and
in which children are deployed in the front line, is now regarded as a rogue State, that is a State which,
because of the presence of governments with links to Islamic fundamentalism, might have contacts with
terrorist organisations,
in particular with bin Laden’s al-Qa’ida. On 5 October the Washington Times
reported that the US intelligence services had uncovered arms trafficking to Somalia organised by members
of the al-Qa’ida network. This situation will exacerbate the humanitarian problems of Somalia, which has
one of the highest rates of infant mortality.