WRITTEN QUESTION E-2931/02 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Priority for EU funding for high-speed rail links in Spain that promote regional balance and economic and social cohesion.
Date: 2002-10-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Aragon, economic and social cohesion, eligible region, high-speed transport, petition, rail network, trans-European network

C 78 E/688

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER
(Part 3)

(2004/C 78 E/0734)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1287/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 May 2002)

Subject: The planting of oilseed rape

Is the Commission aware of any research into the effects on human health of oilseed rape cultivation (cid:1)
especially where it is grown in proximity to habitation?

Are there any plans to control the planting of this crop within close proximity of human habitation?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(28 June 2002)

Similar written questions were put in 1991, 1992 and again in 1996 (E-1452/91 by Mr McCubbin (1),
E-2414/91 by Mrs Ewing (2), E-2415/91 by Mrs Ewing (3), E-611/92 by Mr Raffin (4), E-2146/96 by
Mrs McNally (5)). The Commission is not aware of a consensus within the scientific community on the
matter raised in the Honourable Member’s question. The Commission knows that there is some concern
about the possible links between allergic symptoms in humans and the crop of oilseed rape and can
confirm that several studies have been carried out on this subject (6), in particular by the Scottish Crops
Research Institute and the University of Dundee (7). Given the result of the published papers, no conclusive
evidence is available to demonstrate a direct cause effect on human health from oilseed rape cultivation.

(1) OJ C 311, 2.12.1991.
(2) OJ C 159, 25.6.1992.
(3) OJ C 209, 15.8.1992.
(4) OJ C 32, 2.2.1994.
(5) OJ C 11, 13.1.1997.
(6) Butcher RD, Goodman BA, Deighton N, Smith WH. Evaluation of the allergic/irritant potential of air pollutants:
detection of proteins modified by volatile organic compounds from oilseed rape (Brassica napus ssp. Oleifera) using
electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Cli Exp Allergy Oct 1995; 25(10): 985-92. Hemmer W, Focke M,
Wantke F, Jager S, Gotz M, Jarisch R. Oilseed rape pollen is a potential relevant allergen. Cli Exp Allergy. Feb 1997;
27(2): 156-161Hemmer W. The health effects of oilseed rape: myth or reality? BMJ. 1998; 316: 1327-28 Soutar A,
Harker C, Seaton A, Brooke M, Marr I. Oilseed rape and seasonal symptoms: epidemiological and environmental
studies. Thorax, 1994; Vol 49: 352-56. Soutar A, Harker C, Seaton A, Packe G. Oilseed rape and bronchial
reactivity. Occup Environ Med. Sep 1995; 52 575-580 Welch J, Jones MG, Cullinam P, Coates OA, Newman Taylor
AJ. Sensitization to oilseed rape is not due to cross-reactivity with grass pollen Cli Exp Allergy. Mar 2000; 30(3):
370-375.

(7) McEvan M, Macfarlane Smith WH. Identification of volatile organic compounds emitted in the field by oilseed rape
(Brassica napus ssp. Oleifera) over the growing season. Cli Exp Allergy. 1998; 28: 332-38 Parratt D, Macfarlane
Smith WH, Thomson G, Cameron LA, Butcher RD. Evidence that oilseed rape (Brassica napus spp. Oleifera) causes
respiratory illness in rural dwellers; Sco Med J. 1995; 40: 074-76.

(2004/C 78 E/0735)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2931/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(17 October 2002)

Subject: Priority for EU funding for high-speed rail

links in Spain that promote regional balance and

economic and social cohesion

The Commission is currently examining the case put forward by the ‘Teruel Existe’ citizens’ association
regarding a proposal to re-route the Spanish high-speed rail (AVE) link between Madrid and Levante
through Teruel (Petition 219/2001).

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/689

Bearing in mind, ‘inter alia’:

(cid:1) the European Spatial Development Perspective (Potsdam, 1999), which highlights the need to ensure
that all regions, including outlying and island areas, enjoy adequate access to transport infrastructure
and services,

(cid:1) the Moretti report (A3-0115/93) adopted by the European Parliament, which advocates taking account
the particularly marginal economic situation of areas with low population densities when

of
developing trans-European networks,

(cid:1) the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and the White Paper on European transport policy, which
refers to the need to apply economic and social cohesion policies and regional development objectives
to sustainable transport that contributes towards social and regional cohesion,

and in view of the arguments put forward by ‘Teruel Existe’ in its petition and, more particularly, in its
document, setting out the arguments for re-routing the Madrid-Levante high-speed rail link, of which the
Commission has a copy:

(cid:1) does the Commission not believe that, as part of the process of allocating Community funds for high-
speed rail projects in Spain, it ought to urge the Spanish authorities to make a minor alteration to the
new route involving a mere 10 minutes’ additional journey time, so that it also benefits less densely
populated or least favoured regions, as advocated in different EU documents on economic and social
cohesion;

(cid:1) does it not take the view that, generally speaking, all allocations of Community aid ought to boost
those regions experiencing the greatest difficulties (namely outlying, island and less densely populated
regions) instead of benefiting only their more developed counterparts, as the existing plans for the
high-speed rail link would do;

(cid:1) does it not believe that the province of Teruel might suffer discrimination on two counts if, besides
losing its eligibility for Objective 1 status, it were forced to remain outside the main transport routes
that the Commission itself sees as a matter of priority;

(cid:1) will it say what stage it has reached in its examination of Petition 219/2001, forwarded to it by the

European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(13 December 2002)

In reply to the Honourable Member’s view that the province of Teruel has suffered from discrimination on
two counts, the Commission would point out that:

(cid:1) that province has not been removed from the list of regions eligible under Objective 1, since it was

never one of the areas eligible under that Objective of the Structural Funds;

(cid:1) as regards development of

the trans-European rail network,

the Commission follows Decision
No 1692/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community
guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (1). In 2001 it proposed
amending that Decision (2) to include the Huesca-Zaragoza-Teruel rail link as a high-speed line to help
improve access to the province of Teruel. Parliament expressed a positive opinion on that proposal,
which is now being considered by the Council.

The Commission is currently considering the requests for further information in petition 219/2001
referred to by the Honourable Member. A Communication on those requests will be sent to Parliament’s
Committee on Petitions as soon as possible.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.
(2) COM(2001) 544 final.