WRITTEN QUESTION P-3107/01 by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission. Destruction of natural environment in eastern Europe as a result of EU transport aid.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe, environmental impact, environmental protection, natural resources, project evaluation, protected area, support policy, transport network

C 160 E/58

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

The Commission has raised the subject of the four Israeli citizens held by Hizbollah since 7 October 2000
with the Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian authorities, expressing its serious concern, and seeking information
regarding their well-being. The Israeli authorities have recently indicated that three soldiers abducted at the
Syria-Lebanon border (in the Shebaa farms area) are understood to be no longer alive.

With regard to the 19 Lebanese hostages abducted from Lebanon and held in Israeli prisons under
administrative detention, the Supreme Court of Israel recently ruled , after a lengthy legal procedure ,
that this practice was to be ended for all hostages except two: Messrs Obeid and Dirani. As a result of this
ruling, the Israeli authorities have announced the gradual release of 17 Lebanese held under this form of
detention. Messrs Obeid and Dirani, after much international pressure, and following an order of the
Supreme Court, were recently allowed visits by the ICRC. The Commission and the Member States have
raised their serious concern, through the appropriate channels, on the new legislative attempts in Israel to
alter the status of Messrs Obeid and Dirani (from civilian to ‘illegal combatant’) so as to allow their
continued detention in terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention. This legislative procedure is currently
suspended.

The Commission insists on the right of all those arrested or detained in circumstances of conflict to have
access to the ICRC, and that international law be respected. The Commission will continue to use its
contacts with the authorities of the concerned countries to bring an end to this illegal practice.

(2002/C 160 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3107/01

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Destruction of natural environment in eastern Europe as a result of EU transport aid

the development of

The EU supports numerous beneficial projects in eastern and central Europe. However, some NGOs and
Infrastructure Needs
experts are concerned that
Assessment), modelled on the trans-European networks (TEN), may destroy a number of important bird
habitats in those areas of Europe. If this is the case, it is also incompatible with existing EU legislation on
nature conservation. These problems arise partly because money is granted for various projects before
proper environmental
impact assessments have been carried out. The EU supports TINA through the
European Central Bank and ISPA.

the TINA network (Transport

Will the Commission ensure that a strategic environmental impact assessment in respect of the TINA
network is carried out before any further aid is given for the development of infrastructure? Can the
Commission also guarantee that EU-assisted transport projects do not destroy bird habitats?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2001)

The TINA transport network is the outcome of a technical thinking exercise conducted at the initiative of
the Commission between 1995 and 1999 with the countries applying for accession in order to identify the
components of the future trans-European transport network (TETN) which will cover these countries on
their accession. The TINA network has been developed in accordance with the objectives and priorities of
the Community guidelines concerning the TETN which are set out in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of
the trans-European transport network (1), recently amended by Decision No 1346/2001/EC of
the
European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 (2). These guidelines explicitly incorporate
environmental protection and the taking into account of existing Community legislation on the
environment as essential elements in the setting up of the network.

4.7.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/59

Implementation of the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession (ISPA) programme and financing
from the European Investment Bank must in addition comply with all Community policies and legislation
on the environment. In this context, attention is drawn to the obligation on beneficiary countries to
observe the procedures established in Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of
the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (3), amended by Council
Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 (4). Among other things, this Directive imposes a wide-ranging
consultation of the public, which may also include non-governmental organisations. Furthermore, a
procedure similar to that provided for by Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the
conservation of wild birds (5) and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (6) is also applicable within the framework of these projects.

With regard to the strategic environmental impact assessment referred to by the Honourable Member, the
Commission would like to clarify that the conception of the TINA network did not incorporate this
approach at that time as no recommended and approved methodology was then available. Rules respecting
areas that had already been identified as ecologically sensitive were, however, applied. Since that time,
analytical methods to conduct a strategic environmental
impact assessment of transport infrastructure
plans have been devised and tested, particularly under the fourth framework programme for research and
technological development (RTD) and through pilot studies on the corridors.

The recent Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the
assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (7), which covers strategic
environmental impact assessment, must be applied by the Member States and as from July 2004 should be
transposed into national law. As with all the acquis communautaire, this legislation will be applicable to
the central and eastern European candidate countries from the moment they join the Union. What is more,
as provided for in the proposal to amend Decision No 1692/96/EC adopted by the Commission on
2 October 2001 (8), the Commission will take account of the strategic environmental impact assessments
covering the sensitive parts of the network in accordance with the principles of this Directive in any future
proposal to review the guidelines.

In the meantime, application of Community legislation in force and the close dialogue that
the
Commission has developed with the non-governmental organisations involved in environmental protection
will make it possible to conserve ecologically sensitive areas, particularly bird reservations of international
importance when, with Community co-financing, the TETN is introduced into the candidate countries.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) OJ L 185, 6.7.2001.
(3) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(4) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(5) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(6) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(7) OJ L 197, 21.7.2001.
(8) COM(2001) 544 final.

(2002/C 160 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3127/01

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 November 2001)

Subject: Strength of radio transmissions

Europe has been a pioneer in the field of wireless data communication. However, it has now proved to be
the case that the operation of, for example, Internet networks based on wireless radio technology and in
particular
the maximisation of data transmission distances are being restricted by the European
Radiocommunications Committee’s (ERC) decision ERC/DEC/(01)07, whereby the highest permitted radio
transmission amplitude is considerably lower than for Europe’s international competitors. Especially in the
EU’s sparsely populated areas the amplitude limit is hampering the opportunities to develop wireless data
communication.