WRITTEN QUESTION E-1714/03 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission. Extraction of water from the River Segura.
Date: 2003-05-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, environmental protection, groundwater, infringement procedure (EU), judgment of the Court (EU), pollution control measures, water management, water protection, water resources, watercourse

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/131

the Commission is currently implementing a pan-European project on coastal erosion.
Moreover,
This project, EUrosion (3), should deliver an assessment of coastal erosion through a Europe wide database
and an evaluation of coastal defence methods and identification of best practices. The conclusions and
recommendations from this project are due in 2004.

(1) Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) OJ L 148, 6.6.2002.
(3) www.eurosion.org

(2004/C 51 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1714/03

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 May 2003)

Subject: Extraction of water from the River Segura

The River Segura flows through the province of Alicante for around 31 km before it reaches the
Mediterranean. The Autonomous Communities of Andalucia, Castilla la Mancha, Valencia and the Murcia
region are all located in the Segura river basin. The residents of the province of Alicante make up around
17 % of the population of the whole river basin.

The total water resources of the river basin are estimated at 1500 hm per year, derived from groundwater
as well as water channelled from the River Tagus. The annual average rate of flow at the river’s headwaters
is more than 30 cu m per second.

According to my information, one of the objectives of the river basin’s administrators is to ensure a
minimum flow of 4 cu m per second between Contraparada (Murcia) and the Guardamar dam at the
river’s outlet in the province of Alicante.

The River Segura’s rate of flow does not reach this level where it passes through Oriola (Orihuela) in the
province of Alicante, and this could be a result of the fact that excessive quantities of water, both surface
and underground, have been extracted for years along certain parts of
the river’s course. These
circumstances mean that its flow has been reduced to minimal levels by the time the river enters the
province of Alicante, with all the consequent pollution and health risks that this implies.

Is the Commission aware of the state of the Segura River? Is it considering asking the Spanish government
and the autonomous governments of Murcia and the Community of Valencia to explain how they are
guaranteeing compliance with Community directives on the environment? On the same point, are checks
required on the legal status of all extractions of water from the river?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2003)

The status of the River Segura, especially the non-compliance of the minimum flow needed in order to
maintain the river’s ecological status and the amount of over-exploitation that occurs all along the river
basin,
indeed raises the consequence of sanitation problems for the ecosystems and neighbouring
communities.

The Commission is aware of the ecological and hydrological status of the River Segura and the related
problems in the surrounding area, and would refer to its reply to Written Question E-1354/03 by
Mr Marset Campus (1) concerning this matter. As stated in that reply, it has to be underlined that the
current state of the river is caused mainly by the absence of a regular flow, which gives rise to poor
interconnection between ground and surface waters and progressive salinisation of the soil. In addition,
uncontrolled waste water discharges, industrial pollution and agricultural run-off all add to the pressures
on the river. As described in the previous reply, the Commission has initiated several general actions and
infringement proceedings against Spain in order to ensure compliance with water-related European
legislation. It should also be noted that the Spanish authorities are taking measures in order to solve the
situation.

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Furthermore, Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000
establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (2) establishes a framework for
water policy at Community level. In addition, it promotes sustainable use of water and enhances protection
and improvement of the aquatic environment with the aim of achieving good status for all waters by
2015. With regard to the situation of over-exploitation of the aquifers and the effects on underground
it can be said that this
water quality, quantity, and overall management of groundwater resources,
represents improper and unsustainable management of groundwater resources.

With regard to the authorisation of abstractions for surface water and groundwater, these are decided at
national, regional and local level. Article 11 of Directive 2000/60/EC requires Member States to control
the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater, including a register of water abstractions and a
requirement
for prior authorisation for abstraction and impoundment, as a basic measure to be
implemented at river basin level. However, the programme of measures, including the basic ones, must
be established by 22 December 2009 at the latest.

Finally, the Commission considers, as required in Directive 2000/60/EC, that integrated water management
within the river basin is the appropriate model for the sustainable use of water resources. Accordingly,
several actions have financially contributed to the improvement of the aquatic environment. Almost
EUR 150 million is earmarked for cleaning up the waters of the Segura, of which EUR 120 million will
come from the European Union’s Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund. This infrastructure should support
the Spanish authorities’ efforts to maintain an ecological flow in the river. A list of the infrastructure is
being sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

(1) See page 80.
(2) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(2004/C 51 E/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1723/03

by Roy Perry (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Market manipulation in Slovakia

In November 2002, MOL, the Hungarian oil and gas company, agreed to acquire 31 % of the shares of the
Slovak company Slovnaft, which is listed on the Bratislava stock exchange. The transaction was subject to
clearance from the Czech and Slovak competition authorities, which was obtained and published on
25 March 2003.

Under Slovak law, the transaction put MOL under the obligation to make a public offer for the remaining
Slovnaft shares on the Slovak stock exchange. The price of that offer is based on a weighted average over
the six months previous to the announcement of the approval by the competition authorities. A few days
prior to the publication of the competition authorities’ approval, the price at which trades in Slovnaft
shares were conducted began to increase dramatically. A number of suspect transactions took place
between 17 and 20 March 2003 that could only be based on information on the forthcoming approval by
the competition authorities. The aim of those transactions was to drive up significantly the price at which
the public offer for the remaining Slovnaft shares would have to be made.

The result of these suspect transactions is that the weighted average price increased by 41 % over a period
of four days.

Is the Commission aware of these events? Does the Commission consider these transactions compatible
with Directive 2003/6/EC (1) on insider dealing and market manipulation? What steps will the Commission
undertake to ensure that the Slovak Financial Market Supervision Office investigates this matter in total
independence from the influence of any financial market participants, as the Commission pointed out is
necessary in its October 2002 Progress report towards EU accession for Slovakia?

(1) OJ L 96, 12.4.2003, p. 16.