WRITTEN QUESTION E-3417/02 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE)and Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop (PSE) to the Commission. Impact on the Natura 2000 network of extending San Sebastián airport.
Date: 2002-12-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Basque Country, airport, complaint to the Commission, environmental impact, environmental law, environmental protection, protected area

3.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/151

Is the European Commission providing any financial support to the development of the ‘Via Baltica’
transport corridor in Poland or has it been approached to provide any such support?

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2003)

In order to minimise the effect of transport projects such as the via Baltica the Commission urges the
Candidate Countries to apply Community environmental legislation including Council Directive 97/11/EC
of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and
private projects on the environment, (environmental impact assessment (EIA) Directive) and the Birds (1)
and Habitats (2) Directives, already during the current pre-accession period. The Commission regularly
requests the Candidate Countries to apply and implement the acquis during the pre-accession period, in
particular with regard to possible sites in the Natura 2000 network, which will be extended towards the
new Member States after accession.

According to the EIA Directive the construction of an express road (3) falls under Annex I point 7 point b.
In this case Article 4 paragraph 1 applies and provides that projects listed in Annex I should be made
subject to an assessment in accordance with the procedures of Articles 5 to 10. Therefore, a mandatory
EIA must be carried out.

According to Article 6 of the Habitats directive, investments that are likely to have a significant effect on a
Natura 2000 site need to be subject to an appropriate assessment of their implications. If there are
negative implications, the investment can only be allowed in the absence of alternative solutions and for
imperative reasons of overriding public interest.

In cases where Union pre-accession funding is involved, the Commission would like to assure the
Honourable Member that for such large infrastructure developments ‘similar standards’ as set by Union
environmental legislation need to be applied before any Commission funding is given to the Candidate
Countries. This involves the application of directive 97/11/EC on environmental impact assessment in
order to ensure that for such big projects the environmental implications are taken into consideration. In
addition, the applicant country will also have to investigate whether environmentally sensitive areas are
affected which might fall in future under the protection of the Habitats or the Birds Directives.

In June 2002, an ISPA application was received for adding an additional traffic lane on the section
Radzymin-Wyszkow and for the building of the Wyszkow by-pass on the Via Baltica. At the time being,
the Commission has not taken any funding decision on this project. Additional information from the
Polish authorities concerning potential impacts on this proposal on potential future Natura 2000 areas is
pending.

(1) Council Directive 79/409/EE of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (cid:1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) Council Directive 92/43/EE of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (cid:1)

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(3) Express roads means a road that complies with the definition in the European Agreement of Main International

Traffic Arteries of 15 November 1975.

(2003/C 155 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3417/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE)
and Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop (PSE) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Impact on the Natura 2000 network of extending San Sebastián airport

In its answer to Question E-1701/02 (1) the Commission said it would be investigating the possible adverse
effects of work for the extension of San Sebastián airport on the Natura 2000 network, specifically on Site
of Community Importance SCI ES-2120015 (Terrazas y Marismas del Bidasoa) and Important Bird Area
IBA 37 (Estuario del Bidasoa (cid:1) Txingudi).

C 155 E/152

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.7.2003

Bearing in mind that four months have gone by since the criticism was made, can the Commission say if it
has had a reply from the Spanish authorities, and if so, what it contains?

Could the Commission give details of the current state of processing of Complaint 2002/4893, SG(2002),
A/7230/2 submitted by the Coordinadora Contra la Ampliación del Aeropuerto?

What further action will the Commission be taking to safeguard protection of the above IBA and SCI?

(1) OJ C 301 E, 5.12.2002, p. 213.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2003)

In response to the Honourable Member’s written question, the Commission has approached the Spanish
authorities with a view to obtaining information on the reported project.

In their reply, the Spanish authorities stated that so far neither the Ministry of Public Works nor the
airport authorities had submitted a plan to extend the airport.

At the same time, however, they made it clear that, were such a plan to be submitted, it would be the
subject of an impact assessment study to be forwarded to the Commission.

Meanwhile, on 26 September 2002, the Commission received a complaint concerning the master plan for
the extension of San Sebastián airport (Complaint 2002/4893, as indicated by the Honourable Member).

In the course of examining this new complaint, the Commission recently made fresh representations to the
Spanish authorities in order to check that the plan has been subject to appropriate assessment of its
implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives, as required in accordance with the
obligations laid down in Article 6 (3) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation
of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1).

The Commission, in its role as guardian of the Treaties, will take the necessary action to ensure that
Community legislation is respected in the case in point.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2003/C 155 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3430/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Utilisation of Save II and Altener II funds by the Municipality of Fiumicino

In September 2002 the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry of Finance published a statement
showing expenditure of funds provided by the EU.

The outcome of the survey gave particular cause for concern regarding the slowness and inefficiency of
local authorities in selecting projects, with funds earmarked for the year 2000 amounting to only 2 % of
total CSF appropriations.

The Commission also has reportedly expressed serious concern regarding the inadequate take-up of
European funds by local authorities.