WRITTEN QUESTION E-1980/02 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Underground carpark in Piazza Sempione in Rome.
Date: 2002-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Latium, cultural heritage, environmental impact, parking area, project evaluation, urban area

C 28 E/166

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

(2003/C 28 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1980/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Underground carpark in Piazza Sempione in Rome

(8 July 2002)

In Rome work is about to start on an underground carpark in Piazza Sempione (in the context of the
PUP (cid:1) Urban Carpark Plan) which will contain 79 private garages. The work is taking place on a large
building site which may damage the square and the whole Città Giardino district, an area of particular
architectural and historical interest. Transport in the area will also be severely jeopardised by the building
site, which could remain there for at least two years, not counting further delays which may be caused by
checks to be carried out by the Cultural Heritage Office. The project has not yet been subjected to an
impact assessment and the technicians from the local branch of the city police have
environmental
expressed their opposition, as have the Council of the 4th municipal district and a large number of
residents, many of whom have signed a petition on the subject.

Can the Commission say;

1. whether the project has to be subjected to a compulsory environmental impact assessment;

2. whether, before works are started in areas of potential architectural

importance, appropriate land

surveys should be carried out;

3. whether there are any studies, directives or other documents dealing with the protection of areas of

historical and architectural interest;

4. whether it can express a general opinion on the subject?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2002)

With reference to the information supplied by the Honourable Member, the Commission can confirm that
car park projects are covered by Annex II (paragraph 10(b)) to Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 (1),
as amended by Directive 97/11/EC (2), on the assessment of
the effects of certain projects on the
environment.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is not compulsory for projects listed in Annex II, but Member
States must determine through a case-by-case examination or on the basis of thresholds or criteria set by
the Member State whether the project is to be made subject to an EIA (screening procedure).

Regarding the implementation of
the
screening, Annex III
environmental sensitivity of certain areas must be considered, having regard inter alia to the absorption
capacity of the natural environment and paying particular attention to certain areas, including ‘landscapes
of historical, cultural or archaeological significance’ (Annex III, paragraph 2(h)).

to the Directive stipulates

that

this

The competent authorities’ decision, once the screening is complete, on whether or not to subject the
project to an EIA must be made available to the public.

The information supplied by the Honourable Member does not enable any infringement of the EIA
Directive to be confirmed. As the Directive does not provide for the Commission to be informed of EIAs
or screenings carried out by the competent authorities of the Member States, it is unable to say whether
the procedures have been followed in this particular instance.

If the Honourable Member provides details enabling the Commission to evaluate the situation in relation
to the EIA Directive, it will be able to investigate the project.

As regards culture, Article 151 of the EC Treaty grants the Community only limited powers.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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The Commission would draw the Honourable Member’s attention here to the fact that it has no power to
intervene to safeguard the archaeological heritage of the Member States outside the context of existing
programmes and initiatives.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(2003/C 28 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1983/02

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(8 July 2002)

Subject: Environment (cid:1) transparency (cid:1) clarity (cid:1) public involvement (cid:1) environmental policy and

legislation

The public has a right to have access to information and documents from the Union institutions, which
should operate in a more transparent fashion.

It is important that there should be further Community-level environmental protection measures and that
they should be harmonised.

Public involvement in the work of the Union institutions is important.

All appropriate measures should be taken to foster such involvement in an effective manner.

European environmental legislation is relatively fragmented, which makes it less clear to the public.

The Commission:

(cid:1) Does it think that a consolidated text on European environmental policy and legislation could help to
ensure more effective compliance with the principles of the public’s right of access, transparency and
involvement?

(cid:1) If not, why not, and does it think that the present institutional and regulatory framework for
environmental policy and legislation is compatible with effective compliance with the above-
mentioned principles?

(cid:1) If so, what steps will it take to make this a reality, and when and how does it think that this project

will produce a tangible impact?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(12 September 2002)

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that the public can access
several Community law databases, and at least one of them is free of charge (1). These databases give users
the tools they need to find the legislation they are looking for. They also allow the public to access
documents relating to the various stages of adoption of Community legislation (Commission proposal,
successive positions of Parliament and of the Council).

However, the Commission is aware that over the past 30 years Community environmental legislation has
developed in a pragmatic fashion, sometimes in response to immediate requirements and without
following an overall plan. This is also true of other sectors of Community law, such as food, veterinary law
and agricultural legislation, and of national environmental law in most of the Member States.