WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/03 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Suspension of work on biological sewage treatment plant in Mitilini (Greece).
Date: 2003-02-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU financing, Greece, competence of the Member States, regional development, water treatment

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/215

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(25 April 2003)

The Honourable Member’s question prompts the following comments:

(cid:1) Presidential Decree 385/2002, amending Presidential Decree 165/2000 was sent to the Commission.
The examination of this Presidential Decree concluded that it brought Presidential Decree 165/2000
into line with Directive 89/48/EEC on certain points relating to the incorrect transposition of Directive
89/48/EEC (1). These compliance measures relate in particular to the applicability of Presidential
Decree 165/2000 to persons who have already practised in Greece the profession for which they
request recognition and certain provisions relating to compensatory measures. The corresponding
objections raised in the reasoned opinion notified to Greece on 1 July 2002 should thus be dropped.

transposition of Directive 89/48/EEC and all

(cid:1) However, insofar as Presidential Decree 385/2002 still leaves a number of objections concerning the
incorrect
the objections relating to the improper
application of this Directive, the Commission intends to continue with the proceedings which are
under way, taking into account the changes made following the adoption of Presidential Decree 385/
2002. The Commission decided to bring this case before the Court of Justice at its meeting of
17 December 2002.

(1) Council Directive 89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education
diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years’ duration (cid:1) OJ L 19,
24.1.1989.

(2003/C 222 E/244)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0548/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 February 2003)

Subject: Suspension of work on biological sewage treatment plant in Mitilini (Greece)

According to Greek press reports,
the Greek Government suspended work on a EUR 100 million
(GRD 3,5 billion) biological sewage treatment project in Mitilini on 20 January 2003 following a decision
by Mr Paxtas, Deputy Finance Minister, despite the fact that a few months previously (on 6 March 2002)
Mr Paxtas himself had described the project as ‘first rate’ and had publicly undertaken to ensure proper
funding.

Lesbos, an island situated on the confines of Greek territory (the second largest in Greece) has enormous
tourist potential, given its infrastructures (its airport caters for international charter flights) and its rich
cultural heritage. It is the site of major museums, monuments and buildings (for example the Teriade
museum, neo-classical houses, numerous frescoes by the great popular painter Theofilos etc.), in addition
to which it is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Despite this, the island does not yet have a biological
sewage treatment plant, which is bound to affect further tourist development and, following the above
Government decision, the project no longer appears feasible.

Does the Commission know the reasons for this sudden change of heart by the Greek Government, given
that nothing appears to have changed in the intervening ten months aside from the election of a new
municipal authority? Does the Commission regard as acceptable decisions to commence or cancel
necessary infrastructural projects, particularly in outlying tourist areas of the EU, in accordance with the
political ambitions and designs of the Member State governments concerned?

C 222 E/216

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2003)

The Cohesion Fund contributed EUR 35 179 980 in part-finance to a project including the Mitilini sewage
treatment plant and a drainage and river water grid costing a total of EUR 42 286 533. The Mitilini sewage
treatment plant began to operate in 2002. This means that it is incorrect to say that the town of Mitilini
on Lesbos has no sewage treatment plant or that its construction has been halted.

The Commission believes that the Honourable Member is referring to a project from the Mitilini town
council to extend the present sewerage network. The Commission has no official information from the
Greek authorities on this point but it believes that, like any other system for the collection and treatment
of waste water, the one in Mitilini could be extended and improved by further work.

The decision to finance projects of this type is a matter for the Greek authorities, within the legal
framework of the Structural Funds. However, the Commission hopes that the choice of projects part-
financed by the Community Funds will take account of the strategy devised by the Commission with the
Greek authorities, as set out in a separate chapter of the Operational Programme for the environment
2000-2006. This seeks to encourage the concentration of financial effort on towns in Greece which, unlike
Mitilini, do not yet have a municipal sewage plant and so do not comply with Council Directive 91/271/
EC concerning urban waste-water treatment (1).

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.

(2003/C 222 E/245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0555/03

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 February 2003)

Subject: Integrated waste management in the municipality of Conegliano

By decision of 8 April 2002 (No 127-597), the Conegliano (TV) municipal council decided, without
issuing a call for tenders, to give responsibility ‘the integrated management of urban and related waste
within the municipal boundaries and the relevant financial management (invoicing and collection) to the
Consortium for local hygiene services (CIT), a consortium of which the municipality forms part, no later
than 1 July 2002, specifying that these services may be carried out either directly by the CIT or through a
third party.’

The same decision stipulates that the CIT’s tasks comprise the integrated and coordinated management of
urban waste and special and related waste, including the collection and transport phases, as well as the
invoicing and collection of payments covering the cost of the services, and that this comprehensive
management, including collection and transport, will help to optimise the organisation of the service in an
optimum territorial context and thus to improve the cost-effectiveness of services and (cid:1) as is also stated (cid:1)
fully outsource the area’s management of urban and related waste.

Subsequently, households, producers and businesses in Conegliano received a letter signed by the Mayor of
the municipality, the chairman of the CIT and the chairman of SAV.NO, informing them of ‘a number of
changes in the management and collection of payments for 2002’. The letter explained, among other
things, that amounts due for the service would be collected by the CIT, via SAV.NO, on the basis of
invoices sent to each user. This letter to users was in fact followed by a SAV.NO-headed invoice.