WRITTEN QUESTION E-0686/03 by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE), José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE)and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Spanish National Hydrological Plan, Structural Funds and territorial imbalances.
Date: 2003-03-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, EU regional policy, European Regional Development Fund, Spain, hydraulic works, impact study, regional disparity, underground economy, water management, water supply

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/41

(2004/C 65 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0686/03

by Marie Isler Béguin (Verts/ALE), José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE)
and Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 March 2003)

Subject: Spanish National Hydrological Plan, Structural Funds and territorial imbalances

The Commission is currently examining the Spanish Government’s request for EU monies to co-fund
planned building schemes under the National Hydrological Plan (NHP), and particularly,
those for
transferring water from the Ebro to the Barcelona metropolitan area and South-eastern Spain.

A group of scientists claims that the areas which would surrender the water and suffer the heaviest impact
(Aragonese and Catalan districts of the Bajo Ebro) are poorer than those which would be in receipt of this
water (Barcelona metropolitan area, coastal districts of the Valencian community, Murcia and Almeria, and
the Murcian-Alicantine Altiplano). Using the criterion of disposable per capita family income,
the
prosperous Murcian coastal districts, for example, enjoy lower incomes than those of less prosperous
Pyrenean districts.

This distortion of the indicator is caused by two factors:

(cid:1) on the one hand, the passive income of the elderly in the depressed areas is inflating the claimed

income levels (1);

(cid:1) on the other hand, in the more developed areas of South-eastern Spain, the high levels of undeclared
labour (the highest in Spain and indeed Europe, at over 30 %) tend to deflate the real income level (2).

The fact that these highly developed districts have the highest levels of undeclared labour is not accidental,
and reveals a certain level of ‘misgovernment’ (and not only in connection with water management) which
goes hand in hand with the development model which prevails in these areas.

1.
Does the Commission not believe that the NHP Water Transfer Policy, far from reducing territorial
imbalances between Spain’s inland regions and those of its Mediterranean coast, is going to increase those
imbalances?

Under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (3), the ERDF shall co-fund operations designed to
promote economic and social cohesion, by correcting major regional imbalances.

Does the Commission not believe that the NHP’s Water Transfer Policy, by exacerbating territorial

2.
imbalances, should not be co-funded by the Structural Funds and, in particular, the ERDF?

(1)

Furthermore, the population continues a pace in the most heavily affected Araganese districts, and the higher ageing
population rates in the Bajo Ebro, compared with those of other Mediterranean coastal districts, reflect a far lower
social economic level than that of the Barcelona metropolitan area and other coastal districts to benefit from the
water transfer (Arrojo Agudo P. y otros, Análisis y valoración socioeconómica de los trasvases del Ebro, WWF
European Office, September 2002.

(2) A Commission report ((Mateman S.; Rencoy, P.H.; Undeclared labour in Europe (cid:1) Towards an integrated approach
of combating undeclared labour, Regioplan Research Advice and Information, Amsterdam, October 2001),
undeclared work in Spain accounts for between 15 and 20 % of the GDP, far higher than the European 9 %
average. The Spanish south-east has the highest rates of undeclared work: Murcia 32 %, Andalucía 29 %, Comunidad
Valenciana 24 % (Consejo económico y social, La economía sumergida en relación a la quinta recomendación del
Pacto de Toledo, Colección Informes-CES, Madrid, 1999).

(3) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 2003)

The Union has two instruments that can be used to support investment in infrastructures, including that
relating to water management: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund.

C 65 E/42

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

The ERDF intervenes in support of economic development programmes in the areas eligible under
Objectives 1 and 2 of the Structural Funds as well as under the Community Initiatives URBAN and
Interreg.

With the exception of major projects, the selection of individual projects is the responsibility of the
authorities in the Member States once the broad strategic objectives of the programmes have been agreed
by the Commission. The projects selected by the authorities must, however, conform with Community law
in all respects, including that relating to the environment.

Major projects, as well as projects supported by the Cohesion Fund, are subject to individual approval by
the Commission. The environmental impact of such projects must be assessed.

The social and economic impact of the current generation of programmes will be assessed in the course of
2003 in the framework of the mid-term evaluation of the programmes, the results of which will provide
the Member States with an opportunity to adjust their development strategy as appropriate.

An ex-post evaluation of the programmes is also foreseen by the regulation once the programmes have
come to an end. This will provide a more definitive assessment of their impact on the eligible regions in
social and economic terms.

(2004/C 65 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0687/03

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR)
and Carles-Alfred Gasòliba i Böhm (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Measures to safeguard EU-grown walnuts

(7 March 2003)

Catalan annual whole walnut production averages between 20 000 and 25 000 tonnes, which, if compared
with the annual 600 000 tonnes produced in Turkey, is a relatively small figure.

The EU Association Agreement signed with Turkey in 1998 committed Turkey to refraining from putting
the total quantity of walnuts available after each harvest on the EU market forthwith. This guaranteed a
price of between ESP 500 and ESP 600 per kilogram of whole walnuts between 1998 and 2001.

The devaluation of the Turkish lira in 2001 induced Turkey not to hold back part of
production, but to increase exports. Increased exports to the EU have caused prices to fall.

its walnut

We are aware that the Spanish Government has requested the Commission to apply safeguard measures
for walnuts, as provided for by Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 (1) establishing the
common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables. Various months have now elapsed.

Does the Commission intend to introduce safeguard measures for EU-produced walnuts, which are
suffering from extreme prejudice thanks to the increased imports of walnuts from Turkey?

When will these measures be introduced?

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 April 2003)

The examination and evaluation of the Spanish official request for implementation of safeguard measures
on hazelnuts originating in Turkey, as well as the analysis of the supporting statistical dossier, are in
progress.