WRITTEN QUESTION E-1032/03 by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Via Baltica.
Date: 2003-03-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community acquis, EU financing, Poland, environmental law, environmental protection, motorway, national park

C 33 E/92

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

(2004/C 33 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1032/03

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(28 March 2003)

Subject: Via Baltica

As part of Poland’s National Development Plan, which was submitted to the European Commission in
January, the Via Baltica motorway is intended to form the first part of a planned European-wide transport
corridor and will require co-financing from the European Union. The road proposals threaten an area of
significant environmental
importance, the Biebrza marshes, as well as two unique natural forests. As
Poland’s largest national park and home to wolves, elks and many threatened bird species, the Biebrza area
of wetland is of such conservation value that it fulfils the criteria for protection under the Habitats and
Birds Directives when Poland accedes to the EU. The proposals are contrary to both EU and Polish
environmental legislation and may pose a serious threat to wildlife in Poland.

In light of this, does the Commission intend to fund the construction and, if so, will it ensure that the
project is both fully consistent with the requirements of EU environmental directives and that any EU
funds received are used in a way that is compatible with the EC environmental acquis?

Furthermore, does the Commission intend to explore and promote alternatives in answering Poland’s
transport problems?

(2004/C 33 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1358/03

by Geoffrey Van Orden (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: The ‘Via Baltica’ road project in Poland

(10 April 2003)

Is the Commission aware of the possible threat that the upgrading of the Via Baltica road to an
1.
expressway through the Biebrza Marshes and the forests of Knyszyn and Augustow in Poland may pose to
these environments?

2. Will an environmental assessment of the potential
alternative routes be carried out before any EU funding might be provided?

impact of the project and an evaluation of

3. Will EU funding be provided to the ‘Via Baltica’ road scheme even if the project is deemed to break
EU environmental directives which the Commission has said should apply to all new infrastructure
investments in EU candidate countries?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0925/03, E-1032/03 and E-1358/03
given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

On accession to the Union, Poland will be bound by Community law relating to the environmental impact
of projects and in particular their impact on any natural site of special value. Moreover the Commission
encourages Acceding Countries to apply and implement the provisions of the environmental acquis already
in particular as regards all new investments such as motorways. The
during the pre-accession period,
relevant Community Directives are those on Habitats (92/43/EEC) (1), Birds (79/409/EEC) (2), Environmental
Impact Assessment (97/11/EC) (3) and the Directive on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and
Programmes on the Environment (2001/42/EC) (4), which has to be applied from July 2004. Community
funding for any such investment will only be made available if the requirements of Community legislation
on environment and interoperability are respected.