WRITTEN QUESTION E-2187/02 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Creation of a national marine park in the region of Kimolos.
Date: 2002-07-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Southern Aegean, competence of the Member States, environmental protection, island, national park, non-governmental organisation, protection of animal life, seal

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/199

The following financial information supplements that already provided.

The Egnatia section in question is financed by Community contributions under several budget headings:

(cid:1) European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund: EUR 1 914 million under

Community support frameworks for the periods 1994-1999 and 2000-2006;

(cid:1) TEN-T (EUR 30 million under the Multiannual Indicative Programme 2001-2006).

This cofinancing is granted by Commission Decisions,
in accordance with the rules laid down in the
relevant regulations. The funds are paid to the Greek Ministry of Economic Affairs, not directly to Egnatia
Odos S.A.

Egnatia Odos S.A. was designated by the Ministry as the final recipient of the funds provided by the
Community. As project manager one of its jobs is to conclude contracts for studies, both technical and
environmental, for all phases of the project and for the construction of the different sections of the road.
As is the case for almost all transport infrastructure projects, given the complexity of the work, the
contracts are awarded in lots (cid:1) following an invitation to tender (cid:1) to the tenderers who submit the best
bid. It was within this framework that the contracts referred to by the Honourable Member were awarded.
The awarding procedures and overall relevance of such contracts are checked by the Commission.

The Commission departments involved, which collaborate closely with one another, regularly carry out
administrative, technical and financial checks, to monitor the project’s development and ensure that the
funds allocated are being properly used. These routine investigations have not revealed any irregularities in
the management of the Egnatia project.

For the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund, the Commission regularly checks the monitoring systems
set up by the Member States, as they are responsible for providing reasonable assurance that the funds are
soundly managed. Within the limits of the resources available the Commission carries out additional on-
site checks on a sample range of projects.

The funds from the TEN-T budget, totalling EUR 30 million for the period 2001-2006, are revised
annually on the basis of the Project Status Report and before any final payment is made on-site checks are
carried out to ensure that everything is bona fide and has been properly done in accordance with the rules.

Regarding the allusion to an article in the European Voice newspaper, the Commission spokesman for
transport and energy denied the allegations made in the article and gave a detailed explanation of the
situation in a letter published in the European Voice of 27 June 2002.

(2003/C 28 E/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2187/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 July 2002)

Subject: Creation of a national marine park in the region of Kimolos

According to a letter of protest from the committee of permanent residents of the island of Kimolos, a
study has been carried out by the environmental organisation Mom on the creation of a national marine
park, which will extend to cover the whole of the island of Poliegos and half of Kimolos, together with the
sea for a distance of one nautical mile around these islands. The residents of the region contend that they
do not threaten the seals or other animals in the area in any way. They believe that, on the pretext of
environmental and ecological protection, sections of land are being seized and encroached upon and
restrictive measures are being placed on sea regions and coastal areas of the islands, as has also been
observed in the Zakynthos region.

C 28 E/200

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

In view of the above:

1. Does the Commission intend to investigate this protest and to request information on the desirability

and necessity of creating a marine park of this kind in the above area?

2. Has a study being carried out, or are there any plans to carry one out, on how the animals living in
this marine area may be protected without residents’ property and land being taken, since the people’s
survival depends on these?

3. Are there plans for monitoring to be carried out or has it been carried out in other areas such as in
the Gulf of Lagana in Zakynthos, to ensure that environmental protection restrictions are not imposed
in an arbitrary manner from above, but take the residents’ opinions into consideration and,
in
particular, are transparent with regard to the financial amounts received from the EU for the creation
of such parks?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2002)

The need for the creation of a marine park in the area of Kimolos-Polyaigos has been based on several
scientific studies about the population of the Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus in Greece.
The Ministry of Environment has thus included the area in the Natura 2000 list of Sites of Community
Importance. The area remains in the Greek list in the last submission of 14 May 2002.

The Commission has assisted through a LIFE-Nature project to the preparation of a Specific Environmental
Study (SES) for the area, which will form a basis for the management of the area and its designation as a
national marine park. The project was undertaken by the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of
the Monk Seal (Mom) and co-funded by the Commission, with the support of the Greek authorities as part
of the Greek National Strategy for the Mediterranean monk seal. Further monitoring of the monk seal
population in the area of Kimolos-Polyaigos is taking place at present by Mom through another LIFE-
Nature project. The monitoring of the seals is expected to add to the knowledge about their population in
the two islands. The project also includes actions aimed at raising public awareness about one of the most
important sites of monk seal found in Greece. Apart from these two projects, no other Community
financial contributions have been made for the establishment and the operation of a marine park in the
islands of Kimolos-Polyaigos.

The Specific Environmental Study (SES) was drafted according to the requirements of the Greek national
law in place (frame-law on environment 1650/86) and they aim to implement in each area the most
appropriate management status. In particular, for the area of Kimolos-Polyaigos the establishment of a
national marine park has been proposed, further to consultation with national and local authorities and
public presentations. It must be stressed that neither the content of the SES and the specific site protection
status, nor the subsequent procedures necessary for their adoption and implementation under national law,
are a matter of Community competence. It is up to the Member State to determine the best way to ensure
that species of Community interest, such as the Mediterranean monk seal, and the corresponding Natura
2000 areas thaty host them are given sufficient protection.

The Commission is aware of the protest of Kimolos residents and the formulation of a Committee against
the Creation of the National Maríne Park of Kimolos-Polyaigos, through letters that this Committee has
sent last year. Responding to these letters, the Commission has advocated the need for developing a
dialogue and collaboration between all
local forces (both the residents and fishermen and the non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the Kimolos-Polyaigos islands). The Commission believes
that dialogue can build fruitful relations that will help to alleviate the pressure and will assist in resolving
any conflict. In a recent letter addressed to the Kimolos residents, the development of dialogue between the
Committee against the Creation of the Maríne Park with the Greek authorities and with the environmental
NGO Mom has been suggested, so that a solution can be found to unresolved problems concerning the
management practices proposed.