WRITTEN QUESTION P-2642/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Works on the River Kifissos in Athens.
Date: 2002-09-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, application of EU law, environmental impact, environmental protection, environmental risk prevention, flood, road building

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Official Journal of the European Union

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(2004/C 11 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2570/02

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(16 September 2002)

Subject: North Korean refugees in China

Is the Commission aware of the plight of North Koreans who have fled their country fearing persecution
and are facing imminent forcible repatriation from China?

Constituents have written to me concerned at their current conditions and the treatment that awaits them
in China if they are forced to leave.

Is the European Commission involved in any dialogue or action to assist the North Korean refugees or to
improve the human rights situation in North Korea?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 2002)

The human rights situation in North Korea is a major concern for the Commission. Human rights issues,
including the plight of refugees, are systematically raised during its regular political contacts with the
North Korean authorities. In June 2002 in Pyongyang, the Commission had the opportunity to express to
the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) authorities its concerns over the treatment of these
persons once returned by China and urged the DPRK to respect the fundamental rights of these citizens.

Since large numbers of North Koreans flee over the border to China, the Union has also urged China on
several occasions and in the context of the human rights dialogue it maintains with that country, to
respect international humanitarian norms and to grant access to the Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees to assess the situation of North Koreans in the border area.

The Commission will continue to monitor the situation of refugees from North Korea closely and to raise
it in its contacts with the DPRK and Chinese authorities.

(2004/C 11 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2642/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 September 2002)

Subject: Works on the River Kifissos in Athens

EU-funded roadworks in Athens include a project to build a motorway over the River Kifissos, which is the
main catchment for rainwater for most of Athens. The recent brief showers during the summer caused the
river to overflow three times, wreaking widespread damage in the surrounding areas. Officials at the
Ministry for the Environment, Planning and Public Works, which is responsible for the project, as well as
other scientific and technical experts claim that the work is flawed in that the river is being widened
upstream rather than downstream without the requisite technical and environmental studies having been
carried out. The result is that even light rainfall inevitably causes damage.

Given that the project is funded by the EU, will the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether the requisite technical and environmental studies to ensure that construction was technically

sound and safe were submitted during the procedure for approving the project,

(cid:1) whether the studies submitted provided for works or measures to protect the surrounding areas

against flooding for the duration of the work, and

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(cid:1) whether, after the damage caused, it will check whether the construction is flawed and whether all the

necessary measures were taken to prevent damage occurring during construction?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2002)

The Kifissos avenue, linking the Pathe motorway with the city of Piraeus and all the southern suburbs of
Athens, is an important project for the fluidity of the traffic in the ring road system of Athens. As such, it
has been co-financed under the Operational Programme (OP) ‘Road Axes’ of the 1994-1999 Community
support framework (CSF) for Greece. It is also programmed to receive co-financing under the CSF for the
2000-2006 programming period.

The Commission has neither competence nor participation in the design, contracting and construction of
specific projects, whose execution is being done by the Member States. Since the project exceeds
EUR 50 million,
the Commission will ask the Greek authorities for information on the respect of
Community legislation, as provided for by Articles 25 and 26 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of
21 June 1999 laying down general provision on the Structural funds (1). As far as the period 1994-1999 is
concerned, a similar examination will be carried out by the Commission during the closure of the OP
mentioned above.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 11 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2644/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(20 September 2002)

Subject: Violation by Norway of the EEA Agreement in dispute regarding the export of non-Norwegian fish

on Norwegian certificates of origin

In the Commission’s long-running dispute concerning the purchase of fish from Norway by Danish fish
importers, it has long been clear that the Danish importers were acting in good faith, since they accepted
the certificates of origin from Norway, which appeared in every respect to be correct and valid.

The Danish Minister of Finance has now made it quite clear that the Danish Finance Ministry places the
blame for this whole case fairly and squarely on the incorrect and superficial manner in which the
Norwegian authorities handled the issuing of certificates of origin. The Danish minister has hitherto called
in vain on the Norwegian authorities to acknowledge their mistakes, which consisted in particular of
authorising Norwegian firms to issue certificates of origin without fulfilling even the most elementary
requirements for issuing these certificates and without the necessary supervision being exercised by the
Norwegian customs.

Since the Norwegian government has thus not complied with the EEA Agreement, still less acknowledged
the mistakes that have occurred, will the Commission be taking any steps towards rescinding the EEA
Agreement with Norway?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 2002)

The Commission refers to the replies it gave to oral question H-0453/02 during question time at
Parliament’s June 2002 session (1) and to Written Question P-2363/02 (2), both of them by Mrs Riis-
Jorgensen, in which it has already explained the measures taken under the European Economic Area (EEA)
Agreement concerning this matter. The Commission considers that, taking into account the actions having
already taken place, rescinding the EEA Agreement would be a disproportionate reaction to this problem,
and it is not being considered.

(1) Written reply, 11.6.2002.
(2) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 49.