WRITTEN QUESTION E-0995/02 by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Legislative regions.
Date: 2002-04-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Europe, competence of the Member States, regional State

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/123

(2002/C 277 E/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0991/02

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 April 2002)

Subject: Waste management in Ireland

Under the Fifth Framework Programme, the EU has granted € 3 million for a Biomass plant (Control Heat
and Power) in North Monaghan, Ireland, to get it up and running.

What did the application consist of? Under what conditions was this money approved?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2002)

Proposal NNE5/1999/20229 concerning a 28 megawatt of electricity (MWe) optimised biomass fired
cogeneration plant in Monaghan was submitted in the framework of the ‘Energy, Environment and
Sustainable Development 4 Part B: Energy Program’, following the call published in the Official Journal
with call identifier 1999/C 77/14 (1).

The title of the application was: ‘Optimised Biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant for Monaghan
integrating condensing economiser technology’.

The plant will demonstrate a bubbling fluidized bed boiler with an innovative integrated condensing
economiser fuelled with spent mushroom compost as the principal fuel. The heat to power ratio will be
1:1 and the electrical efficiency will be 26 % representing a significant increase on current state of the art
(23,6 %). The total project cost was estimated at € 43 081 000 and the proposers requested a Community
contribution of € 083 250 in their application. Other bio-fuels such as chicken litter and wood waste are
also planned to be used as feedstock.

Four external experts evaluated the proposal which was placed in the shortlist of proposals to be
considered for support. The result of
the evaluation was confirmed by the Programme Committee
composed of representatives of Member States and the Commission invited the consortium for contract
negotiations on 5 October 2000. The total Community support is up to a maximum of € 975 000. The
contract was signed on 27 April 2001.

Insofar the incineration of waste is concerned, the consortium would have to fulfil the requirements of
Directive 2000/76/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2000 on the incineration of
waste (2). The financial support of the Commission is to be forwarded to the contractors on the basis of
progress reports and incurred expenses.

information on applications and evaluation procedures can be found at:

The procedures and general
www.cordis.lu

(1) OJ C 77, 20.3.1999.
(2) OJ L 332, 28.12.2000.

(2002/C 277 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0995/02

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 April 2002)

Subject: Legislative regions

Could the Commission give its definition of legislative regions within Europe and list those regions which
it considers to fall within this definition?

C 277 E/124

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(14 May 2002)

The Commission does not use an own definition of legislative region and is not able to give a list of such
regions. Definitions and lists of this kind of regions are clearly a matter for each Member State,
in
accordance with their constitutional framework.

(2002/C 277 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0997/02

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE)
and Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 April 2002)

Subject: Development of Tajo-La Mancha waterworks following Annex II of

the Spanish National

Hydrological Plan

The European Commission should be aware that the Tajo-La Mancha transfer 4 listed as ‘Conducción de
agua desde el Acueducto Tajo-Segura para incorporación de recursos a la Llanura Manchega’ in Annex II
(investment list) of the Spanish National Hydrological Plan law 4 is now ready for immediate execution up
to 2006.

Does the Commission know that this water transfer was not included in the Strategic Environmental
Assessment of the Plan that was recently submitted by the Spanish Government?

The Commission should also be aware that the competent authority has just declared (EFE 03/13/13-45/
02), that EIAs on two of the four parts of the project are positive and that, therefore, getting the € 245,22
million (85 % of the total costs of the project) it has asked for from the EU Cohesion Fund should be a
‘mere bureaucratic step’?

What is the Commission’s reaction to this claim, given also the fact that the European Parliament’s
Resolution for the Barcelona Summit asked the European Commission not to fund water transfer schemes?

Is the Commission satisfied that this water transfer does not violate EU law,
Habitats and Water Framework Directives?

in particular the Birds,

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 2002)

The Commission notes the information concerning the proposed Tajo-La Mancha transfer in Spain. The
Commission is aware that this proposed transfer forms part of the Spanish National Hydrological Plan. The
Commission is also aware that this transfer was not included in the Strategic Environmental Assessment
submitted by the Spanish authorities.

The Commission notes the statements attributed to the competent authority. However, the Commission
would underline that there are set procedures for evaluating funding proposals under the cohesion fund.
These procedures, which include an evaluation by the Commission, will be respected in the case of the
request for financial support submitted in relation to the Tajo la Mancha transfer. As part of this
evaluation, the Commission will take into account the Environmental Impact Assessments reported to have
been carried out by the authorities. The Commission will pay particular attention to the need to ensure
that all projects respect relevant Community legislation and policies including the directives on the
protection of birds, habitats and water resources.