WRITTEN QUESTION E-0157/03 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Alterations to a radar installation on the island of Madeira.
Date: 2003-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Madeira, Portugal, application of EU law, complaint to the Commission, environmental impact, environmental law, environmental protection, military base, telecommunications equipment

9.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 242 E/101

(2003/C 242 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0157/03

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 January 2003)

Subject: Alterations to a radar installation on the island of Madeira

With reference to Mrs Wallström’s answer dated 4 November 2002 to my Written Question E-2734/02 (1)
on the construction of a radar installation on Pico do Areeiro, on the island of Madeira, what is the
Commission’s position on the announcement that the above radar installation is still to be located in the
same area, only a matter of metres away from the site previously planned, bearing in mind that this minor
alteration still poses all the disadvantages of the earlier plan?

(1) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 96.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(5 March 2003)

Further to its answer to Written Question E-2734/02 by Mrs Figueiredo (1), the Commission can inform
the Honourable Member that it has since been able to register the case as a complaint and question the
Portuguese authorities about the situation.

At a meeting with the Commission, the Portuguese authorities were able to give a number of clarifications
regarding the project. They explained that the radar project had been imposed by NATO and that the
nature of the installation was such that it could only be located on one of the two highest peaks on the
island (cid:1) Pico Ruivo and Pico do Areeiro. The Pico Ruivo option was rapidly abandoned, given the obvious
adverse impact. The Pico do Areeiro area was chosen because other constructions and telecommunications
installations are already located there. The Portuguese authorities also indicated that the radar’s radiation
field would not reach the nesting site of Pterodroma madeira, being located well above it.

In any event, the project has been made subject to an environmental impact study, whose conclusions are
still pending. Lastly, the Portuguese authorities indicated that they would send the Commission a copy of
the impact study.

The Commission will wait to receive the study before pronouncing on the situation.

(1) OJ C 110 E, 8.5.2003, p. 96.

(2003/C 242 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0165/03

by Paul Lannoye (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 January 2003)

Subject: Guided bombs

The new generation of guided bombs developed in the United States has been designed to penetrate and
destroy reinforced underground targets. On the basis of purely military logic, the high density metal used
to make these weapons as effective as possible is depleted uranium. Are weapons of this type produced in
the European Union? If not, are they available to the armed forces of certain Member States?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(13 February 2003)

The Commission has no legal competence to intervene in the choice and nature of arms to be produced or
even monitor the use of such munitions.