WRITTEN QUESTION E-3020/01 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Need to ban the use of silver iodide against hailstorms.
Date: 2001-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: chemical salt, degradation of the environment, environmental protection, environmental risk prevention, national financing, natural disaster

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/55

4.

The amounts already received by Greece correspond to the Community appropriations approved.

5. and 6.
The date of eligibility of expenditure incurred for the projects under the Community support
framework for Greece for 1994-1999 was 31 December 2001 and the Member States were required to
make final applications for payment and provide related documents for approval by 30 June 2002. At this
stage, the Commission is therefore unable to state whether Greece will lose any appropriations for that
period.

(1) These are the figures given by the Commission’s Sincom accounting tool. They do not include Interreg initiatives

and other payments made in Greece on the initiative of the Commission (technical assistance, etc.).

(2002/C 160 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3015/01

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Subject: Referendums in the applicant countries

In which of the applicant countries is it planned to hold referendums on accession to the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2001)

In the framework of their future ratification of the Accession Treaty, a number of candidate countries may
hold referendums on accession, in line with the constitutional and legal requirements and practice in each
country. According to the information currently available to the Commission, there is a constitutional
obligation to hold a referendum in Romania and Slovakia before the Accession Treaty can be ratified. In a
number of other candidate countries where there is no constitutional obligation, there is a declared
political will to organise a referendum, although no formal decision has as yet been taken.

(2002/C 160 E/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3020/01

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Need to ban the use of silver iodide against hailstorms

(29 October 2001)

The practice of fumigating with silver iodide to prevent hailstorms (by spraying from aeroplanes or firing
rockets) has been shown to be extremely damaging to the Spanish environment; specifically, it is causing
major damage in León, Soria, Valencia and other Spanish regions and provinces. However, it is subsidised
by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In its reply to questions E-3764/00 and E-4006/00 (1) on the use of silver iodide against hail, the
Commission stated that:

> silver iodide is not a priority substance in the relevant European Union reference lists;

> the substance does not fall within the scope of Directive 91/414/EEC (2) (on pesticides), since it is not

deemed a phytosanitary substance;

> the Spanish authorities had not informed the Commission of the subsidies granted for iodide.

C 160 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

(damage to human health,
Given the consequences in Spain of the use of silver iodide against hail
pollution of aquifers, rain shortages, impact on harvests, etc.), and given that the current revision of the
White Paper on Chemical Substances will lay the foundations of future Community policy in this area:

> Does the Commission intend to include silver iodide amongst the priority substances, with a view to

future legislation on chemical substances?

> Has the Commission assessed the risks posed by silver iodide within the framework of Regulation
(EEC) 793/93 (3), as Mrs Wallström suggested in her reply to questions E-3764/00 and E-4006/00?

> Have the Spanish authorities now informed the Commission of the Ministry of Agriculture subsidies

for the use of silver iodide against hail?

> Can the Commission guarantee that none of the money being used to subsidise this practice stems

from Community funds?

(1) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 43.
(2) OJ L 230, 19.8.1991, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 2001)

In its reply to written questions E-3764/00 by the Honourable Member and E-4006/00 by Mr Gasoliba I
Böhm on the use of silver iodide against hail, the Commission has already stated that:

> silver iodide is not a priority substance in the relevant Community’s reference lists;

> the substance does not fall within the scope of Council Directive 91/414/EEC of 15 July 1991
concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market, (on pesticides), since it is not
deemed a phytosanitary substance.

As concerns the White Paper on the Strategy for a Future Chemicals Policy (1), the Commission is at
present carrying out consultations with technical experts,
industry, consumers and environmental
organisations with a view to drafting legislative proposals for 2002. At the present stage of development,
it is not possible to foresee how future legislation concerning Chemicals Policy will effect the use of silver
halide in the prevention of hailstorms.

The Spanish authorities have replied to the Commission’s request of information as regards the subsidies
granted for the use of silver iodide in the prevention of hailstorms. The Commission is now examining the
information provided by the Spanish authorities.

(1) COM(2001) 88 final.

(2002/C 160 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3051/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: The cost of road projects in Greece

In Greece it is widely assumed that major projects co-funded by the European Union are exceptionally
expensive compared to equivalent projects in other Member States. Can the Commission give comparative
statistics to confirm or refute this assumption? Will it, for instance, provide statistics giving the cost per
kilometre of roads in Greece and in other Member States with similar geophysical characteristics? By what
percentage have major road projects in Greece overshot their original budgets during the second CSF?
What is the corresponding percentage in the other Member States?