WRITTEN QUESTION E-0711/02 by Inger Schörling (Verts/ALE) and Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Tourist development projects in Fuerteventura.
Date: 2002-03-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Canary Islands, complaint to the Commission, protected area, protection of animal life, tourism, town-planning scheme

C 277 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

(2002/C 277 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0711/02

by Inger Schörling (Verts/ALE) and Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Tourist development projects in Fuerteventura

(14 March 2002)

In the north of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), in the area of Los Llanos del Tostón and the Lagos del
Cotillo (within the jurisdiction of the La Oliva local authority), work has begun on the town planning
scheme known as the ‘Costa del Faro Partial Plan’. This plan provides for 6 000 hotel beds and a golf
course. The work violates two European directives, namely that on birds, since the area is a nesting ground
for and home to numerous species listed in Annex I of the Directive (particularly the houbara bustard,
cream-coloured courser, stone curlew, Canary Islands stonechat, trumpeter finch, black-bellied sandgrouse,
Barbary partridge, Barbary falcon, spoonbill, and Kentish plover) and the habitat directive, because six
types of habitat which appear in Annex I to that Directive (1) are affected. Furthermore, species such as the
Canary shrew and the Canarian skink, which are also protected by the National Catalogue of Threatened
Species, are also concerned. The building work in Los Llanos del Tostón and the Lagos del Cotillo directly
impacts on the Costa de Corralejo-Tostón ‘area of importance for birds’ IBA No 350, and would represent
a degree of human pressure incompatible with the conservation of the species referred to above. The result
is that proceedings have been opened against the Kingdom of Spain within the Commission Secretariat-
General (SG2000)D/203613) for failing to comply with the two directives.

The machines are still at work 9 in keeping with a fait accompli policy 9 despite the fact that:

9 The Canaries High Court of Justice’s Administrative Disputes Chamber (La Sala de lo Contencioso
Administrativo del Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Canarias) has cancelled the licences issued to the
hotels by the town council since no prior authorisations from the Island Council
(Cabildo) are
available;

9 the ‘impact statement’ concerning the golf course has not been approved (the corresponding
environmental impact studies indicate that the consultants, Hydra Consultores S.L., were not stringent
enough (2)).

Furthermore, in the town itself, seven or eight kilometres away, work has already begun on a ‘Majanicho
housing partial plan’ in the Llanos de Majanicho, which provides for a further 4 500 hotel beds in a site
also protected by the Birds and Habitat directives (3).

Does the Commission not believe that these two building projects contravene the Directives on Birds (79/
409 (4) and on Habitat (92/43 (5))?

What measures has the Commission taken to protect the two sites from these building developments?

Can the Commission verify whether the two projects meet
assessment (97/11 (6))?

the Directive on environmental

impact

Is any Community co-funding involved in the construction work planned for these two sites?

(1) The six type of habitat included in Annex I are classified under code nos. 1210, 1250, 1420, 2110, 2130 and
regarded as priority species, Caralluma burchardii and

5330. There are furthermore two plant
Androcymbium grammineun psammophilum, which appear in Annex II.

species

(2) Specifically, there is no description of the current situation based on censuses and cartography with regard to the
bird population and the habitat in question; there are no quantitative data; there is no assessment of the various
species; there is no information on the future situation, i.e. Where will the buildings be? What will the infrastructure
be? How will tourists, hotel employees, move around, both on foot and travelling by (how many) vehicles? What
will the impact be? Will the bird population be displaced? And where will it go?.

(3) The environmental impact study was drawn up by the consultant, Hydra Consultores S.L., themselves. The Canaries

University has also expressed its opposition to the two projects (www.forouniversitario.org).

(4) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(6) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2002)

The Commission is aware of the facts raised by the Honourable Members as a result of a complaint
concerning several
the Island of
Fuerteventura and their environmental impact.

tourist and urban development projects on the north coast of

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/81

As part of its examination of this complaint, the Commission has contacted the Spanish authorities for
their comments about the application of Community environment law which could apply in the case in
the point.

No reply has yet been received from the Spanish authorities. The complainant recently sent new
information which is being analysed by the Commission and will be compared with the reply from the
Spanish authorities once it is received.

In any case, in its role as guardian of the Treaties and with the powers at its disposal, the Commission will
take the necessary measures to ensure that Community law is complied with in the case in point.

With regard to any Community co-funding for the work planned on the two sites, the Commission has
requested further information from the Spanish authorities and will inform the Honourable Members once
it has been received.

(2002/C 277 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0713/02

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

(14 March 2002)

Subject: Respect for human rights

In keeping with the spirit of the 1995 Barcelona Declaration, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms should play a key role in Euro-Mediterranean relations.

Unfortunately, in the case of Algeria, murder (with the conflict claiming some 200 lives every month), the
disappearance of individuals presumably kidnapped by the security forces or armed gangs, the fact that
liberties, such as the right to hold
human rights violations go unpunished, and restrictions on civil
meetings and the right of expression, are the order of the day.

What is the Commission’s view of the current situation in the Mediterranean Basin in general, and Algeria
in particular?

Does the Commission intend to incorporate a human rights control and monitoring mechanism in this
and the other Association Agreements with Mediterranean states?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written E-0602/02 by Mrs Ferrer (1).

(1) OJ C 229 E, 26.9.2002.

(2002/C 277 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0721/02

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 March 2002)

Subject: Tobacco duty on medicinal herbal cigarettes

With regard to the Commission’s answers in 1997 to the questions by Doeke Eisma (E-0480/97 (1) and
E-2484/97 (2), the court in Leeuwarden has in the meantime handed down a ruling.