WRITTEN QUESTION E-2257/02 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Increase in illegal irrigation and further deterioration of the River Segura.
Date: 2002-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, application of EU law, environmental law, groundwater, industrial pollution, infringement procedure (EU), pollution of waterways, water management in agriculture, water protection, water treatment

6.3.2003

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Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 September 2002)

At present, the market of cork products is not subject to any particular regulation.

Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from
the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain
Regulations (1), the rural development programmes 2000-2006 provide for financial support to private
forest owners or municipalities for the management and sustainable development of cork oak stands, the
preservation of resources and the afforestation of farm land, with a view to maintaining the economic,
social and ecological functions of cork oak forests in rural areas. Support is also provided for vocational
training to improve the occupational skill and competence of persons involved in forestry activities.

The above-mentioned programmes continue and expand the scope of the efforts already initiated under
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/1992 of 30 June 1992 instituting a Community aid scheme for forestry
measures in agriculture (2). Under the latter Regulation, Community support provided during the period
1994-1999 contributed to the improvement of over 100,000 hectares of existing cork oak stands in Spain
and Portugal and to the plantation of another 100,000 hectares in those Member States during the same
period.

In addition, substantial efforts at Community level have also been undertaken under the Community
Research Framework Programmes. These research activities are aimed at increasing the overall competi-
tiveness of the cork sector in the Community, in particular that of small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs). As an example the Commission presented some months ago a very successful Craft programme on
the improvement of cork glue and sterilisation (a special microwave treatment against bacteria and fungi)
which had a considerable positive impact on the use of European cork.

The Commission considers that the structural support by the regional and rural development programmes
can provide a coherent package of measures to strengthen the development of the cork sector within the
Community. Moreover, the common agricultural policy (CAP) mid-term review, recently proposed by the
Commission (3),
foresees to allocate more resources to the rural development policy in the future.
Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of Member States and regions to decide the specific measures and
financial resources to be allocated to cork-related activities within the above-mentioned programmes. In
view of the ecological, social and economic importance of the cork sector, the Commission will certainly
be open for any specific additional
initiatives in its support proposed by the Member States in the
framework of the current programmes and within the existing financial envelopes.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(3) COM(2002) 394 final.

(2003/C 52 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2257/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2002)

Subject: Increase in illegal irrigation and further deterioration of the River Segura

The Commission will be only too aware of the serious environmental situation in the Segura River area as
it was not by accident that the experts it sent there classed the Segura ‘the most polluted river in Europe’.

However, in parallel with the lengthy infringement proceedings the Commission has opened against Spain
irrigation has increased
for this reason, the state of the river has deteriorated still further and illegal
throughout the area, in such a way that:

(cid:1) the extensive ploughing-up of land and the conversion of woodlands into irrigated land has continued,
with this also causing an increase in the number of illegal wells (there are calculated to be more than
15 000 unregulated wells) and the overexploitation of all the aquifers;

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(cid:1) farmers of irrigated land in the affected areas are being forced to use highly contaminated water on
their crops (faecal waters and industrial waters), which is poisoning traditional market gardens and
their produce;

(cid:1) food canning and leather industries have continued to illegally discharge waste, with the water
to guarantee water quality and sustain the

purifiers that have been installed being insufficient
ecological flow of the Segura;

(cid:1) the contamination of the river has continued, putting protected areas at serious risk;

(cid:1) nothing has changed with regard to the violation of the Framework Directives on water, nitrates and

habitats first reported over three years ago.

All this is the result of the permissiveness of the competent authorities which, on the one hand, have
proved themselves ineffectual in halting the deterioration of the river, and on the other hand are managing
the situation in a way that encourages the ploughing-up of land and the creation of new illegal irrigated
areas.

In the light of all the information provided in previous questions, which the Commission’s experts were
able to verify in situ, and of the fresh information in the Commission’s possession (in particular that
contained in the CD produced by the organisations ‘Pro-Río’ and ‘Ecologistas en Acción’):

(cid:1) What stage has been reached in the infringement proceedings against Spain for contamination of the

Segura river?

(cid:1) Does the Commission feel that the water purification measures that have been implemented by the

Spanish authorities with European Community funding are sufficient?

(cid:1) What urgent measures will the Commission take to halt the ploughing-up of land, illegal irrigation,
uncontrolled waste discharges and all the other misdeeds that are causing the Segura to deteriorate still
further?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

As a result of the infringement proceedings the Commission instituted against Spain under Article 226 of
the EC Treaty, the Court of Justice of the European Communities condemned Spain (1) for not having
established programmes to reduce pollution of the water caused by certain dangerous substances contained
in List II of the Annex to Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain
dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (2), contrary to the
requirements of Article 7 of the Directive.

As part of the handling of this case, a letter of formal notice was subsequently sent to Spain on the basis
of Article 228 of the EC Treaty. The Spanish authorities communicated the various provisions and
measures taken to meet the requirements of the Directive. The Commission is currently examining this
information.

The abovementioned infringement proceedings, along with other action the Commission has taken against
Spain to ensure compliance with the Community directives on water, could help resolve the problem of
the River Segura referred to by the Honourable Member.

With particular reference to this problem, the Spanish authorities have sent the Commission their Plan for
environmental rehabilitation of the Segura basin. This plan, drawn up by the Ministry of the Environment
and the Autonomous Communities of Murcia and Valencia,
involves construction of treatment plants,
agreements between the authorities and industry, administrative monitoring measures and penalties, and
major investments.

The various parts of the Plan are currently being implemented. Indeed, six new treatment plants began
operating at the start of 2002 to assist the remediation of the River Segura basin, notably in the middle
and lower stretches of the river (Vega Media and Vega Baja).

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Regarding the various illegal activities the Honourable Member reports are being carried out in the River
Segura basin, these are matters which do not really fall within Community jurisdiction. The Commission
therefore has no means of preventing them. Nonetheless, they are matters which may be pursued through
national appeal procedures with the competent administrative and jurisdictional authorities in accordance
with the relevant Spanish law.

With regard to possible Community co-financing, the Commission would point out that in accordance
with the principle of subsidiarity and pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999
laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (3), both the choice of projects and their
implementation are the responsibility of the Member States. The Commission therefore wrote to the
Spanish authorities on 10 July 2002 to obtain that information and will pass it on to the Honourable
Member as soon as it is received.

Judgment of 25.11.1998. Case C-214/96.

(1)
(2) OJ L 129, 18.5.1976.
(3) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2003/C 52 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2258/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2002)

Subject: Environmental management problems and degeneration of the environment on Spain’s eastern

seaboard

Throughout this parliamentary term, I have criticised the poor management of Spain’s eastern seaboard
and the serious effects this is having on the environment and the natural heritage of coastal areas there.
Major problems include the on-going construction of coastal infrastructure (ports, promenades, sea walls,
breakwaters, etc.), the deterioration in the quality of the sea water and the wholesale urbanisation of the
shoreline. Furthermore, urban development and the growth in tourism is causing the degeneration of
natural areas adjacent to the coast (marshes, estuaries, lagoons, salt marshes, posidonia beds), triggering
climate change, eroding the coastline and eating away at beaches and dune systems. To all this one must
add over-fishing and the exhaustion of fishery resources, unsustainable management of water resources
and the marked degeneration of the countryside and traditional natural resources, which are even affecting
specific features of the local inhabitants’ identity and popular culture.

The Valencia regional government plans to reclassify thousands of square kilometres of coastline as
development land in order to construct leisure complexes, second homes and golf courses. These plans
have sparked a reaction from sections of the population and from opposition parties, who have made
open calls for a moratorium on construction until such time as the mandatory surveys and environmental
impact studies have been performed for the various projects.

In the light:

(cid:1) of

the communication from the Commission on a European Union strategy for sustainable

development (1) and the conclusions of the Gothenburg Council of June 2001 on that subject, and

(cid:1) of the already-approved Recommendation concerning the implementation of integrated coastal zone

management in Europe (2),

Is the Commission aware of this situation and of the plans for the extensive development of the Valencian
coast, which are being implemented by means of a reclassification of land by the Valencia regional
government?

Does it not feel that it should intervene with the Spanish authorities to ensure that the Valencian coast is
managed correctly and in accordance with provisions laid down by the European Union in this area?

Is it in a position to check whether an environmental
development projects being carried out on the Valencian coast?

impact study has been performed on all the

(1) COM(2001) 264.
(2) OJ L 148, 6.6.2002, p. 24.