WRITTEN QUESTION P-1758/03 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Need for epidemiological studies on the health impact of the spillage from the Prestige.
Date: 2003-05-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, epidemiology, oil pollution, public health

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/89

(2004/C 65 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1713/03

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE)
and Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 May 2003)

Subject: Operation of the capital market in Greece

Between 1999 and 2001, a redistribution of income estimated at EUR 100 billion took place in Greece via
the stock market. The sharp fall in the General Price Index on the Greek stock market (which began in
2000 and accelerated through 2001 and 2002) created social tension and bleak prospects for hundreds of
thousands of Greek citizens who had invested their savings (or borrowed to invest) on the stock market.
The entire situation has raised legitimate questions concerning the way in which the capital market in
Greece is operated and supervised and the possibility of avoiding a similar situation in the future.

What is the Commission’s view of the structure and operation of the capital market in Greece, with
particular reference to the period 1999-2001? Did a similar redistribution of income via the stock market
occur in other Member States of the EU?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2003)

The Commission cannot confirm the figure mentioned by the Honourable Members regarding the losses
made by investors on the Greek stock markets, but it certainly shares their concerns regarding the
consequences of the fall of share prices on the Greek stock market.

However, it should also be considered that the sharp fall in the General Price Index of the Greek stock
market followed a very sharp increase between 1996 and 2000. The modernisation of the stock exchange
and the prospect of joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) raised investors’ expectations of
returns on equity holdings in the late 1990’s. The General Price Index on the Athens stock exchange
increased by some 600 percent between 1996 and 1999. It has fallen subsequently by some 65 percent.
This is undoubtedly a sharp fall, but is in line with trends on the majority of stock markets. Since January
2000, the main French index has fallen by some 50 percent, the German index by some 55 percent, the
British index by some 40 percent.

Beginning with the deflation of the bubble in technology, media and telecommunications stocks, the fall in
prices has spread to all sectors, reflecting investor concern about the prospects for corporate earnings amid
a weak global economy and geo-political uncertainty, as well as a loss of confidence in corporate
governance and market integrity. The Commission would like to stress that the rapid and complete
implementation of all the measures in the Financial Services Action Plan, the initiatives in the area of
corporate governance, as well as the rationalisation of the framework for Union-level regulation and
supervision, will go a long way in raising the level of investor protection, strengthening the stability of the
financial system, and increasing its efficiency, to the benefit of investor and companies alike.

(2004/C 65 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1758/03

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(20 May 2003)

Subject: Need for epidemiological studies on the health impact of the spillage from the ‘Prestige’

It is now some months since the onset of the environmental disaster triggered by the sinking of the
‘Prestige’, and yet from a public health standpoint no information has been made public on the levels of
internal contamination of the people affected. No measurements have been taken of blood or urine
concentrations of the toxic compounds contained in or released by the spilled fuel oil, which means that
vital time is being lost with regard to obtaining information on the effects of the spillage on the local
population.

C 65 E/90

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

However, although it has already been possible to assess at a glance the wide range of immediate health
impacts (e.g. numerous cases of conjunctivitis, headaches, nausea and respiratory problems) on people who
have come into direct or indirect contact with fuel oil from the ‘Prestige’, nothing is known about the
effects that may appear in the future owing to chronic exposure to these potentially toxic compounds.

Greenpeace Spain has published a report entitled ‘The impact of the spillage from the “Prestige” on human
health and public health’
in association with the Instituto Municipal de Investigación Médica and the
Autonomous University of Barcelona, which proposes that a two-stage investigation be conducted to
establish the short-term and long-term effects of this pollution incident on the population.

Under the Treaties it is within the Community’s powers to promote health by means of Community action
programmes and by encouraging studies aimed at obtaining data for health indicators and epidemiological
monitoring and control.

Has the Commission in the past promoted any type of study relating to the short-term and long-term
effects of oil pollution incidents on human health?

Will it heed the calls made in the report by Greenpeace Spain and promote studies into the consequences
of the ‘Prestige’ incident?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Referring to the question of the Honourable Member on the existence of Community Action Programmes
to study health effects of environmental factors, the Commission is pleased to inform her that the
Parliament and the Council adopted, under Decision 1296/1999/EC (1), a programme of Community action
on pollution-related diseases in the context of the action in the field of public health (1999-2001).

None of the projects funded under this programme refers to studies on health effects due to fuel
contamination as these effects are well documented scientifically and have already been used as a scientific
basis for the development of the environmental and safety at work legislation in the domain.

If the Committee members of the new public health action programme adopted on 23 September 2002 (2)
(Decision No 1786/2002/EC) consider long-term health effects of fuel contamination as a priority area, the
Commission would include it under the priority actions of the work programme 2004.

(1) Decision No 1296/1999/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 1999 adopting a programme of
Community action on pollution-related diseases in the context of the framework for action in the field of public
health, OJ L 155, 22.6.1999.

(2) Decision No 1786/2002/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 adopting a programme of

Community action in the field of public health, OJ L 271, 9.10.2002.

(2004/C 65 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1760/03

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(27 May 2003)

Subject: Turin to Lyons high-speed rail link: a priority for Europe

The French Government has announced that work on the Turin to Lyons high-speed rail line section
cannot begin before 2015.

It is essential to build this line not just for Piedmont, an important geo-economic area, but also in order to
create an interconnected Europe-wide system of links between the northern and southern halves of the
continent and to link northern Italy to eastern Europe.