WRITTEN QUESTION E-1653/02 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Air pollution on Greece-FYROM border.
Date: 2002-06-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU relations, Greece, North Macedonia, air quality, environmental standard, pollution control measures, power plant, transfrontier pollution

5.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 301 E/205

(Developing Stress Monitoring Sites and Infrastructure for Forecasting Earthquakes) as a project under the
5th Framework Programme (1998-2002) with a Community contribution of EUR 1,3 million. Has the
Commission funded any earthquake forecasting project or network in Greece or does it intend to do so in
the near future? If so, which, when and to what amount? What is the Commission’s view of the report by
the Greek professor of seismology?

(1) OJ C 340, 4.12.2001, p. 95.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 2002)

Earthquake research continues to be an important priority for the Commission.

Seismic risk assessment, including research into the seismic mechanisms which cause earthquakes and
methods for analysing and monitoring seismic phenomena, is one of the priorities of the Community’s
Sixth Framework Programme for research and technological development under the heading ‘Sustainable
development, global change and ecosystems’.

In order to disseminate and make effective use of the results of projects funded by the Commission, the
EU-MEDIN initiative (Mediterranean Disaster Information Network) was launched in November 2000 with
the aim of improving coordination within the scientific community and promoting risk prevention,
communication and rapid information exchange.

The decision was taken to contribute to seismic risk prevention rather than short-term prediction, which
has been regarded as unreliable and likely to have significant economic and social repercussions. The
Commission is also running schemes designed to help decision-making on prompt action in response to
major seismic events.

In April 2003, as part of the EU-MEDIN initiative, a seminar to review the state of the art in seismic risk
the Institute of Engineering Seismology and Earthquake
prediction and prevention will be held at
Engineering (ITSAK) in Thessaloniki, Greece, which will be attended by the leading European researchers in
the field.

As to the report by Professor Papazachos, the Commission does not comment on the scientific merits of
individual reports.

(2002/C 301 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1653/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 June 2002)

Subject: Air pollution on Greece-FYROM border

Air pollution levels constituting a public health hazard have been observed on the border between Greece
and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which are particularly perceptible in Greece when the
north winds blow. The high concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) are reportedly in excess of
1600 mg/Nm3, or four times the levels permissible in the European Union. This air pollution originates in
the region of the town of Bitola in FYROM (17 km from the border) where high-sulphur, brown coal-fired
electricity generating plants are in operation which have no special filters to restrict pollutant emissions.

C 301 E/206

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.12.2002

Since these plants also export electricity to the EU (Greece) and in view of the requirement that the Union’s
policies should take account of the environment, and that public health, environmental protection and
clean energy are priority issues, will the Commission say:

1. Whether it is aware of the above information? What measurements have been taken recently and what
data is available concerning emissions of pollutant substances in the border region between Greece
and FYROM?

2.

Is it true that emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) from electricity generating plants in the town of
Bitola in FYROM are far in excess of the levels applicable in the European Union and that such
hazardous concentrations find their way into Greece via the atmosphere?

3. What measures does the Commission intend to take to stop pollution in the region and what
measures is FYROM required to take to prevent cross-border pollution pursuant, in particular, to the
EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement with FYROM, which entered into force on 1 June 2001?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2002)

The Commission is not aware of the claims referred to in the question and does not measure pollution
levels in third countries.

The Stabilisation and Association Agreement
is awaiting ratification but will not place any specific
obligation on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) regarding air pollution. It does,
however, identify ‘combating local, regional and cross-border pollution (air, water quality, including waste
water treatment and drinking water pollution) and establishing effective monitoring’ as an area for
potential co-operation. Through its financial assistance the Commission intends to favour the development
of the country’s institutional capacity and the progressive alignment of its legislation in the field of
environment to the Community ‘acquis’. A total of EUR 4 million have been allocated for this purpose in
the Multi-annual Indicative Programme for FYROM for the years 2003 and 2004. The Commission is also
seeking to enhance the capacity of FYROM in environmental monitoring through support for participation
in the activities of the European Environment Agency.

(2002/C 301 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1660/02

by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission

(11 June 2002)

Subject: Mandatory EU accessibility standards for the built environment

In the European Commission communication ‘Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities’ (1),
the European Commission made a commitment to consult with industry and disabled users to identify
areas where it would be appropriate to introduce EU mandatory accessibility standards to the built
environment.

Will the European Commission inform the European Parliament when it will be establishing a working
group on the built environment which was expected in mid-2002?

Does the European Commission not consider that this work should be coordinated by the Construction
Unit of DG Enterprise working in close cooperation with the Disability Unit of DG Employment and Social
Affairs and the stakeholders concerned, including representative disability organisations and industry?

(1) COM(2000) 284.