WRITTEN QUESTION E-1847/03 by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Compliance with the SEIA directive in connection with the Milan-Bergamo-Brescia super-highway construction project.
Date: 2003-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, application of EU law, environmental impact, impact study, motorway, right to information

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/95

(2004/C 65 E/107)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1847/03

by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 June 2003)

Subject: Compliance with the SEIA directive in connection with the Milan-Bergamo-Brescia super-highway

construction project

Pursuant to the Commission’s recent directive on strategic environmental impact assessment (SEIA (1)), any
plans for the construction of major new items of transport infrastructure must be accompanied by an
assessment of all practicable alternatives (so that the one which will have least impact on the environment
can be chosen) and the involvement of
their associations and the local
authorities, so that the necessary information can be provided and local people’s opinions sought.

the local people affected,

However, this right to access information and to express views has been (and is still being) denied in the
case of the plans (promoted by the Italian Government) for a Milan-Bergamo-Brescia super-highway
(known as the Mibebre highway), since the local people, associations and authorities know only what has
appeared in the press.

Furthermore, what has so far been revealed through the press is particularly worrying: the super-highway
will apparently damage or destroy cultural artefacts and natural features, including four regional parks.
These include the valuable Naviglio Martesana, which is in the process of being recognised as a Unesco
world heritage site.

In view of the above, does the Commission not think that it should take action vis-à-vis the Italian
Government with a view to ensuring that, in the case of the Mibebre project, the SEIA directive and EU
environmental laws in general are observed and enforced?

(1) Directive 2001/42/EC, OJ L 197, 21.7.2001, p. 30.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2003)

Directive 2001/42/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the
effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment establishes, in its Article 13, that Member
States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with
this Directive before 21 July 2004.

At this stage, therefore, this Directive is not applicable, nor has Italy yet communicated to the Commission
the measures adopted in order to comply with it.

Apart from the above-mentioned Directive, the information given by the Honourable Member has not
revealed any specific grounds of complaint on the application of other Community environmental
provisions to the specific case. Therefore,
the above, no breach of Community
environmental legislation can be identified at present.

in the light of

(2004/C 65 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1866/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 June 2003)

Subject: Price dispersion

Is the Commission able to give figures for price dispersion within the United States monetary union for
comparison with the price dispersion in the EU as a whole (as detailed in single market reports), in the
euro-area, and in the Member States that do not participate in the euro?