WRITTEN QUESTION E-1926/02 by Giorgio Celli (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Skiing development at sites of Community interest in the Parco d'Abruzzo (Italy).
Date: 2002-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Abruzzi, environmental impact, exchange of information, groundwater, mountain region, project evaluation, protected area, protection of animal life, protection of plant life, sport, tourist infrastructure

C 192 E/30

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

The Regulation fixing the aid was published in the Official Journal on 1 June 2002 (1). It lays down that
the national administrations are under the obligation to pay the balance of the aid by 4 August 2002 at
the latest.

The Commission would also call attention to the fact that Community producers may receive advances on
the compensatory aid.

The arrangements for these advances have in fact just been changed by Regulation (EC) No 471/2001 (2).
They provide for the payment of a sixth advance for bananas marketed during the months of November
and December, account being in this way taken of cash-flow problems on the part of producers pending
payment of the balance of the compensatory aid.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 932/2002 of 31 May 2002 fixing the compensatory aid for bananas produced and
marketed in the Community in 2001, the time limit for payment of the balance of the aid and the unit value of the
advances for 2002 (cid:1) OJ L 144, 1.6.2002.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 471/2001 of 8 March 2001 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1858/93 laying down
detailed rules for applying Council Regulation (EEC) No 404/93 as regards the aid scheme to compensate the loss of
income from marketing in the banana sector (cid:1) OJ L 67, 9.3.2001.

(2003/C 192 E/027)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1926/02

by Giorgio Celli (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 July 2002)

Subject: Skiing development at sites of Community interest in the Parco d’Abruzzo (Italy)

for 2000-2006 (involving initial

Towards the end of 2001 the governing body of the ‘mountain community’ of Alto Sangro e Altopiano
delle Cinquemiglia (L’Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy) approved a project for a new skiing complex with brand-new
lifts. This decision brought
together proposals for skiing facilities made by the municipalities of
Rivisondoli, Barrea, Roccaroso, Pescasseroli and Roccapia, and was forwarded to the Abruzzo regional
authorities on the understanding that they would request the Community funding provided for under the
single planning document
financing to the sum of approximately
EUR 9 million). The aim is to link a number of the region’s ski resorts to the Park by means of a dense
network of chairlifts and cableways, which would also take in the Barrea estuary (right in the middle of the
Park’s main reserved zone), the basin of Lake Pantaniello (a national protected area), and the slopes of Serra
di Rocca Chiarano and Monte Greco (classified as sites of Community interest (cid:1) code IT7110061, Serra di
Rocca Chiarano (cid:1) Monte Greco (1)), for which Article 5 of Presidential Decree No 357 (2) of 8 September
1997 clearly sets out conservation objectives. The Greco massif is home to large fauna (bears, wolves and
deer) and eagles. The plans also include road links, viaducts and tunnels, as well as the creation of artificial
snow facilities and other related facilities (basins and electrical installations). If these projects were to be
carried out, they would destroy the natural environment and the social and economic fabric and ruin sites
of outstanding natural beauty (thousands of trees would be felled). The artificial snow facilities would have
a damaging effect on the watercourses (to supply a 1 500-metre stretch with artificial snow requires
20 000 cubic metres of water, in other words 20 million litres), thus worsening what were, last winter,
already severe problems in the water supply.

Is the Commission aware of these circumstances? Can it ascertain whether these proposals comply with
the legislation on environmental impact assessment and on the protection of sites falling within the Natura
2000 network? Is the Community funding provided for in the single programming document for 2000-
2006 for the Abruzzo region compatible with the adoption by the same region of a plan for the
expansion of skiing facilities which primarily affects a special protection area (code IT7120132) and sites
of Community interest? Are there any other proposed or current Community funding arrangements,
e.g. under the Structural Funds, which could be directly or indirectly related to this development plan?

(1) Ministerial Order of 3 April 2000. List of the special protection areas named under Directive 79/409/EEC and the

sites of Community interest named under Directive 92/43/EEC.

(2) Regulation implementing Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural and semi-natural habitats and of wild

flora and fauna.

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/31

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(11 September 2002)

Article 6 of Directive 92/43/EEC (1) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora
provides for the protection of Sites of Community Importance which will, according to the procedure laid
down by the Directive, be designated as Special Conservation Areas.
In particular, under Article 6,
paragraph 3, any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site
but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or
projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s
conservation objectives.

The above-mentioned provision applies to Sites of Community Importance (SCI) under Directive 92/43/
EEC and Special Protection Areas (SPA) under Directive 79/409/EEC (2) on the conservation of wild birds.
It is not fully binding for proposed Sites of Community Importance (pSCI) under Directive 92/43/EEC,
these being sites which have been proposed by Member States but not yet included in an official list of
sites of Community interest adopted by the Commission. However, in the case of pSCI, Member States
have an obligation to act in a way that does not jeopardise the objectives of the Directive and ensure
therefore that measures are taken to prevent
‘Parco nazionale
d’Abruzzo’ (cid:1) IT7120132 (cid:1) is an SPA under Directive 79/409/EEC; ‘Serra di Rocca chiarano (cid:1) M Greco’
they are covered by the above
(cid:1) IT7110061 (cid:1) is a pSCI under Directive 92/43/EEC. Therefore,
mentioned obligations.

the deterioration of proposed sites.

The projects mentioned by the Honourable Member could fall in Annex II of Directive 85/337/EEC (3) on
the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment whether before or
after being amended by Directive 97/11/EC (4). Under Directive 85/337/EEC, projects falling into Annex II
are to be made subject to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) where Member States consider that
their characteristics so require. Under Directive 85/337/EEC, as modified, for Annex II projects, Member
States are obliged to determine through a case-by-case examination or thresholds or by the setting of
criteria whether the project shall be made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5 to 10.

Not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the
appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it. Should the Commission be informed
that Community law is being breached in the specific case, it would not hesitate, as the guardian of the
Treaty, to take all necessary measures, including infringement procedures under Article 226 of the EC
Treaty, in order to ensure the observance of relevant Community law.

Pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on
the Structural Funds (5), project selection and implementation is the responsibility of
the managing
authority, which in the case referred to in the Honourable Member’s question is the Abruzzi Region.
Moreover, any project co-financed through the Funds has to comply with Community law, including that
on environmental protection.

According to the description given in the single programming document (SPD), the activity included in
measure 1,2 would consist in the construction, in the Alto Sangro area, of public transport infrastructure
which would serve to prevent the depopulation of the area by supporting sustainable development by
means of improving the mobility and living conditions of the local population. According to the SPD, this
type of
impact
infrastructure will be examined with reference to the legislation on environmental
assessment and on the conservation of natural habitats.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(3) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(4) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(5) OJ L 161, 21.6.1999.