WRITTEN QUESTION E-0404/03 by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission. Transport infrastructure charging.
Date: 2003-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: charges for use of infrastructure, drafting of EU law, trans-European network, transport network

C 242 E/128

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2003)

Following Article 6, Paragraph 3, of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1) (‘Habitats Directive’), which, pursuant to its Article 7, also
applies to Special Protection Areas (SPAs) classified under Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979
on the conservation of wild birds (2), any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the
management of such a site but likely to have a significant effect thereon shall be subject to appropriate
assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives.

The SPA ‘IJmeer’ has a total area of ca 7 400 hectares (ha). The planned building project mentioned by the
Honourable Member will directly affect an area of about three hectares within the Special Protection Area.
In order to be able to decide whether or not the full protection regime under Article 6, paragraphs 3 and 4,
of Directive 92/43/EEC applies to this project, it must indeed be investigated if the project is likely to have
a significant effect on the site. This investigation will have to be carried out by the Dutch authorities. The
information provided by the Honourable Member does not allow by itself to conclude if any significant
effects are likely to occur or not.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.

(2003/C 242 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0404/03

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: Transport infrastructure charging

Can the Commission indicate when the communication on infrastructure charging within the transport
sector will be submitted to Parliament?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2003)

A draft Communication is currently being finalised within the Commission. This draft Communication
comprises three parts: a common methodology for infrastructure charging, a new approach for financing
of
for a
Directive on interoperability of electronic road charging. The Communication is planned to be presented
to the Parliament this Spring.

including public-private partnerships and a proposal

the Trans-European Networks (TENs)

(2003/C 242 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0407/03

by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(10 February 2003)

Subject: Classification of the oil tanker Stemnitsa, operating in the Baltic, as an ice class vessel

This winter, the oil tanker Stemnitsa, sailing under the Greek flag and operated by the Greek shipping line
Minerva Maríne, has on numerous occasions operated in the Baltic in exceptionally difficult ice conditions.
It loads 100 000 tons at a time of Russian crude oil at the new oil terminal in Primorsk, Russia, towards
the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland. The tanker has been classified by the American Bureau of Shipping
as an ice class vessel, but according to Finnish experts its ice pressure resistance is not sufficient to cope
with the particularly demanding conditions in the Gulf of Finland. Mainly on account of Russia’s new oil