WRITTEN QUESTION E-2637/02 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Protection of forests against atmospheric pollution in Galicia (Spain).
Date: 2002-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU action, Galicia, air quality, distribution of EU funding, environmental monitoring, forest conservation

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if the Honourable Member has a particular case in mind he is invited to put it to the
Meanwhile,
Commission, with any relevant accompanying material, so that further assistance can be given with
clarification.

(1) The Convention defining the statute of the European Schools entered into force on 1st October, 2002, the first day
of the month following the deposit of all instruments of ratification by the Member States and of the acts notifying
conclusion by the European Communities (Article 33 of the Convention).

(2004/C 70 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2627/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Problems with implementation of environmental programmes

(18 September 2002)

A report drawn up by the Economic and Social Committee in Greece notes that it is doubtful whether
Greece is able to utilise the appropriations for the operational programme on the environment or to
implement programmes which will be sustainable once their funding has expired.

1. What difficulties has the Commission identified in regard to the implementation of environmental
programmes and what are their causes?

2.

Is there a risk that Community funds for environmental programmes will be discontinued?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2002)

The difficulties inherent in launching the operational programme (OP) for the environment stem
1.
from the time required to establish a managing authority, the time required to comply with the national
administrative procedures in force and the complexity of the projects proposed for part-financing under
this OP.

At the meeting of the Monitoring Committee for this programme held in Athens in June 2002, the Greek
authorities thought that most of these difficulties had been overcome so that implementation could go
ahead as planned.

Similar difficulties arose as regards implementation of the agri-environmental measure forming part of the
programming document for rural development in 2000-2006 under Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999.

2.
In partnership with the Greek authorities, the Commission is monitoring progress of the environ-
ment OP particularly carefully in order to avoid any risk of loss of Community funds under the ‘n+2’ rule.
This rule will apply for the first time at the end of 2003 and it is too early at present to assess the
possibility of such a loss.

As regards the rural development measures part-financed by the EAGGF Guarantee Section, the risk of
losing funds requires an evaluation at the level of the Member States as a whole rather than at the level of
individual national programmes.

(2004/C 70 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2637/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: Protection of forests against atmospheric pollution in Galicia (Spain)

The value of the forests of southern Europe and the risks to which they are exposed have led the European
Community to take steps to protect them against atmospheric contamination by promoting surveillance
and the study of forest ecosystems.

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Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 (1) of 17 November 1986 on the protection of the Community’s
forests against atmospheric pollution established a Community scheme for the protection of forests for the
period 1987-2001. It set out the five principal objectives of establishing a forest observation network,
drawing up a periodic inventory of the damage caused to forests (especially by atmospheric pollution),
implementing continuous and intensive surveillance of forest ecosystems, carrying out experiments to
further understanding of the effects of atmospheric pollution and of methods of observing and measuring
it, and devising methods of maintaining and restoring the forests affected via pilot projects.

The financial allocation for the period 1997-2001 was EUR 35,1 million.

Could the Commission give details of
connection with this Regulation in the Autonomous Community of Galicia?

the measures that

the European Community has funded in

Has the Spanish Government presented any other plans for the future implementation of measures to
protect the forests of Galicia against atmospheric pollution?

(1) OJ L 326, 21.11.1986, p. 2.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

The Commission wishes to indicate that the Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 of 17 November 1986
on the protection of the Community’s forests against atmospheric pollution (1) was last amended by
the Parliament and the Council of 15 April 2002 (2). The latter
Regulation (EC) No 804/2002 of
Regulation extended the duration of the former by one year and adjusted the Community financial
allocation for the period 1997-2002 to EUR 42,6 million, in line with the amount entered in the budget
for 2002.

The Commission can not provide a detailed account of the measures funded in Galicia, as they were
included among those proposed every year by the Spanish Administration for the country as a whole.
During the period 1987-2002, the Community has funded measures in Spain for a total amount of
EUR 4 498 010.

The breakdown of this amount according to the types of measures is the following:

(cid:1) Measures related to the forest condition monitoring activities carried out within the large scale
network of observation plots established on the basis of the 16 × 16 km grid (Level I (cid:1) systematic
monitoring):

(cid:1) Community financial contribution: EUR 1 859 412.

(cid:1) Measures related to the forest condition monitoring activities carried out within the network of

permanent observation plots (Level II-intensive monitoring):

(cid:1) Community financial contribution: EUR 1 699 601.

(cid:1) Experiments to further understanding of the effects of atmospheric pollution and of methods of

observing and measuring it:

(cid:1) Community financial contribution: EUR 938 997.

At present, the Spanish forest condition monitoring network is made up of 620 systematic monitoring
plots (Level I) and 53 intensive monitoring plots (Level II), out of which 52 Level I plots (8,4 %) and 3 Level
II plots (4,5 %) are located in Galicia.

With regard to the future, the Commission has presented a proposal for a new Regulation concerning the
monitoring of forest and environmental interactions in the Community (3). The purpose of the proposal is
the establishment of a new Community scheme on monitoring of forests and environmental interactions to
protect the Community’s forests. The scheme will be built on the achievements of the two Council
Regulations (EEC) No 3528/86 of 17 November 1986 on the protection of the Community’s forest against
atmospheric pollution (1) and (EEC) No 2158/92 of 23 July 1992 on protection of the Community’s forests
against fire (4) and it will incorporate new elements in order to assess forest ecosystems conditions in a

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broader context. The proposal foresees that the monitoring activities to be carried out by the Member
States,
in particular the collection of data, studies, experiments and demonstration projects will be
implemented under multi-annual national programmes. The new proposal provides a multi-annual
framework covering initially a six-year period from 2003 to 2008.

(1) OJ L 326, 21.11.1986.
(2) OJ L 132, 17.5.2002.
(3) COM(2002) 404 final.
(4) OJ L 217, 31.7.1992.

(2004/C 70 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2996/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(23 October 2002)

Subject: Measures to reduce fisheries accidents

Paragraph 29 of the EP’s resolution of 5 April 2001 on Fisheries: safety and causes of accidents (1) ‘calls on
the Commission to draw up a specific directive for the fishing industry on health and safety at the
workplace in accordance with Article 16(1) of the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC’.

What steps has the Commission taken?

(1) OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 359.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2002)

The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that this request is
already covered by Council Directive 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum safety
and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels (thirteenth individual Directive within the
meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) (1), which is the thirteenth individual Directive within
the meaning of Article 16(1) of the framework Directive, Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June
1989 (2).

(1) OJ L 307, 13.12.1993.
(2) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.

(2004/C 70 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2997/02

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(23 October 2002)

Subject: Measures to reduce fisheries accidents

Paragraph 33 of the EP’s resolution of 5 April 2001 on Fisheries: safety and causes of accidents (1) ‘calls on
the economic and social operators, through the social dialogue, to work towards establishing collective
agreements so as to develop aspects relating to safety at work including vocational and continuing
training’.

Has the Commission done anything to encourage this social dialogue, or does it intend to do so? What
progress has been made in this area?

(1) OJ C 21 E, 24.1.2002, p. 359.