WRITTEN QUESTION P-1450/03 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Need for urgent intervention — plan to extend the port of Altea (Spain).
Date: 2003-04-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, EU control, coastal protection, environmental impact, environmental protection, harbour installation, project management

C 78 E/716

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

The Commission has the task of ensuring the correct application of Community law, in the light of the
powers conferred on it by the EC Treaty. As the guardian of the Treaty, it does not hesitate to take all
necessary measures, including infringement procedures under Article 226 of the EC Treaty, in order to
ensure the observance of Community law.

Poland has not requested a transition period with regard to the ban of landfilling used tyres. Thus, Poland
will have to implement the ban by the date of accession.

(2004/C 78 E/0764)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1450/03

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(16 April 2003)

Subject: Need for urgent intervention (cid:1) plan to extend the port of Altea (Spain)

For more than a year now, numerous complaints and parliamentary questions have been submitted to the
Commission concerning the plan to extend the port of Altea (Spain) with a view to creating a yachting
facility and its implications for the coastline of Alicante province, which is already under severe pressure
from development projects.

The author of this question is grateful for the Commission’s joint reply to her questions P-0769/03 and
E-0775/03 (1), in which it states that it is awaiting information from the Spanish authorities. However, the
project to expand the port has now passed through the various procedures laid down in law, and the work
could soon be completed.

Does the Commission not consider the information provided by the complainants and detailed in the
university reports cited in the above-mentioned questions to be sufficient justification for calling on the
Spanish government to suspend the project until the Commission has completed its investigations?

Does the Commission not believe that the matter calls for urgent intervention on its part, in view of the
potential environment impact of the completion of this project?

Does the Commission not believe that, as a matter of priority, action must be taken to prevent any further
deterioration of the coastline of Alicante province, in view of the present condition of its irreplaceable
posidonia meadows?

(1) OJ C 268 E, 7.11.2003, p. 132.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(23 May 2003)

The Commission is not empowered to enjoin Member States to suspend a project which is the subject of
an enquiry. However, within the framework of the procedural rules it must observe, the Commission has
promptly taken all steps to ensure that Community law is complied with in this case.

Correspondence has been exchanged between the Commission and the Spanish authorities and the project
was also discussed at a bilateral meeting in Madrid at the beginning of April this year. The Commission is
now examining the Spanish authorities’ reply. A decision will shortly be adopted on the appropriate action
to be taken.

It should also be noted that the Commission is making every effort to ensure the conservation of the
posidonia meadows as a priority habitat of Community importance, protected under Council Directive 92/
43/EEC (1) of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.