WRITTEN QUESTION E-2581/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. The Morrazo superhighway in Galicia.
Date: 2002-09-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Galicia, Structural Funds, application of EU law, economic consequence, environmental impact, exchange of information, project evaluation, road building, social impact

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/67

(2003/C 192 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2566/02

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(16 September 2002)

Subject: Mass repatriation of Afghan refugees

The prevailing insecurity in Afghanistan, which is related to the climate of violence in the country (cid:1)
ongoing conflict, crime, banditry, the violation of women’s rights, the presence of mines and the American
forces’ bombing campaign (cid:1) together with the incapacity to absorb repatriated Afghans, are a direct threat
to the safe return of Afghan refugees who are displaced internally in the country and abroad.

In its report entitled ‘Continuing need for protection and standards for return of Afghan refugees’, Amnesty
International expresses concern at the policy of mass repatriation promoted by the UNHCR in cooperation
with the countries sheltering Afghan refugees, stressing that, in such circumstances, international standards
should apply, as they are of vital importance to ensure that Afghan refugees can return in safety and
dignity. Otherwise, the organisation warns that the situation may result in renewed cycles of displacement.

Will the Commission intervene to prevent the use of compulsory and coercive measures to return to
Afghanistan refugees who may suffer serious human rights abuses, and to ensure that international
standards of protection for refugees are applied?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2002)

The Honourable Member is referred to the answer given by the Commission to Oral Question H-0666/02
from Mr Lund (1) at Parliament’s October 2002 Part-Session II.

(1) Written Answer of 22.10.2002.

(2003/C 192 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2581/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: The Morrazo superhighway in Galicia

(16 September 2002)

The Galician government has planned a superhighway along the Morrazo peninsula. The route follows the
mountainside for a distance of 21,5 km. The inhabitants of Morrazo accept the need for the road, but
consider that with the envisaged route and the technical solutions adopted, the road will cause serious
social and economic problems and damage to the environment and landscape, which can and must be
avoided. The peninsula is densely populated along a coastline with fishing and commercial ports and
creeks and beaches which are among the best in Galicia, and a population scattered over a spectacular and
beautiful mountain landscape.

The Galician government published the information study on the project
in August 2000. The
environmental impact assessment on the road was published by the government in July 2001, and the
route and declaration of public interest of the project were approved in September that year. The
preliminary acts for the occupation of the land to be expropriated are in the process of being signed. In
opposition to the project submitted by the Galician government in the public information procedure, a
large number of inhabitants of Morrazo (cid:1) 4 000 people belonging to neighbourhood associations and
groups sharing common land and water supply (cid:1) have filed objections against parts of the route and the
technical solutions which appeared in the information study published by the government in August 2000.
In actual fact, many of the objections submitted by the inhabitants were incorporated by the government
in its environmental assessment study of July 2000, but were not considered in the government project
itself. The objections submitted by the inhabitants were ignored and the government even ignored the
statements made by the Morrazo municipal authorities.

C 192 E/68

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

In view of all this, can the Commission say whether the superhighway is being financed by the structural
funds? Does it consider that the project submitted by the government is sufficient to meet the social and
economic needs and protect the environment and landscape of the Morrazo peninsula? Is the Commission
aware of the circumstances of the study and the implementation of the project? Does the environmental
impact study submitted by the government meet the requirements of EU directives? Has the Commission
analysed whether the final version of the project meets its own requirements concerning environmental
impact assessment? Is that the Commission willing to consider the statements submitted by the inhabitants
of Morrazo? Does the Commission know that the Galician government is refusing the dialogue requested
by the inhabitants of Morrazo who submitted objections to the superhighway project? Is it willing to
promote this dialogue?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2003)

The Spanish authorities have informed the Commission that they intend to include in measure 6,1 (Roads
and trunk roads) of the Galicia 2000-2006 Operational Programme a project to build a 21 km long super
highway, estimated cost EUR 70 003 700,4, on the Morrazo peninsula.

Work was scheduled to begin between December 2002 and February 2003 and last until 2006.

They have also stated that an environmental impact assessment has already been made for the project, for
which the corresponding declaration issued by the Directorate-General for Public Works of the Xunta de
Galicia and dated 27 July 2001, was published in Official Journal of Galicia No 158 of 16 August 2001.
Since the Commission has not yet received the assessment it cannot at present comment on its content or
compliance with the requirements of Directive 85/337/EEC (1), amended by Directive 97/11/EC (2).

Since the project cost is more than EUR 50 million the approval procedure for major projects has to be
used (see Articles 25 and 26 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (3)).

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects

on the environment (cid:1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on assessment of the effects of

certain public and private projects on the environment (cid:1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (cid:1)

OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2003/C 192 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2625/02

by Markus Ferber (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: VAT on postal services

The Commission has announced on several occasions that it will be presenting a proposal on the
introduction of VAT on postal services.

Now that the Postal Services Directive has been adopted, when may we expect to see a Commission
proposal to this effect?

What stage have discussions reached? What is the Commission’s current thinking on this matter?