WRITTEN QUESTION E-3802/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Natura 2000 network in Galicia (Spanish state).
Date: 2003-01-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Galicia, coastal region, environmental impact, environmental protection, oil pollution, protected area

3.7.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/191

(2003/C 155 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3802/02

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

Subject: Natura 2000 network in Galicia (Spanish state)

(7 January 2003)

A large number of areas of natural beauty for which applications have been made for inclusion at a future
date in the Natura 2000 network are now severely affected by the ‘Prestige’ oil spill. Will the Commission
now treat
the Natura 2000 network, with a view to enabling
implementation of all the economic,
legal and scientific observation measures provided for under the
habitats directive (92/43/EEC (1))?

these areas as de facto parts of

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2003)

The Honourable Member has expressed his concern in relation to the accident caused by the Prestige and
its impact in the Natura 2000 network in Galicia, Spain. The incident poses a serious threat to marine
wildlife and coastal habitats in Galicia especially to the Natura 2000 sites.

Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna
and flora, the ‘Habitats Directive’, is the main Community instrument for safeguarding the European bio-
diversity. The preservation, protection and improvement of the quality of the environment, including the
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, are essential objectives of general interest for
the Community. The main instrument to reach these goals is the Natura 2000 network of protected areas.
Therefore any site included in the Natura 2000 network has to be considered as of high ecological value.
Each Member State is responsible for identification, designation and conservation of the sites, which are
important for the protection of the species and habitats of Community interest.

In the provisions of the Habitats Directive it is stated that Member States shall take the appropriate steps to
avoid the deterioration of natural habitats and habitats of species as well as the maintenance and
restoration at a favourable conservation status.

The coastal areas of Galicia are included in the Atlantic bio-geographical region. The Spanish authorities
have proposed 60 Galician sites of Community importance to be included in the Natura 2000 network.

For the Commission all these sites are parts of the Spanish proposal for the Natura 2000 network,
therefore, all the provisions of the Habitats Directive must be applied to the sites.

(2003/C 155 E/212)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3810/02

by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 January 2003)

Subject: Transport of animals

The Commission’s report on the implementation of the Transport Directive (91/628/EEC (1)) clearly
demonstrated that most Member States do not properly enforce transport rules and as a consequence
many animals suffer unnecessarily, particularly those which travel
long distances for slaughter. The
Parliament in its report of November 2001 proposed several major changes to the Transport Directive, one
of which would limit long road journeys to eight hours or 500 km. Such a change would eliminate a great