WRITTEN QUESTION E-2096/03 by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Construction of high voltage power station by the Greek PPC in the Argyroupolis — Ilioupolis area.
Date: 2003-06-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, building permit, building regulations, electrical energy, environmental impact, industrial project, power plant, project evaluation

6.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 58 E/131

In my view, all this goes to prove that the French authorities are pursuing a policy which seeks to protect
the French domestic market against foreign competition and which actually results in its being so
protected. The Competition DG is aware of this matter and has agreed to initiate an inquiry into the
competition law aspects thereof. The conduct of the French authorities is also hampering the liberalisation
of express mail services on the internal market.

Is the Commission aware of the recent inquiries and court cases that the French authorities have initiated
against TNT Jet Services and other express mail undertakings?

What is the Commission planning to do to combat the unequal application of the law in the postal sector
in France?

Will the Commission ensure that the liberalisation of express mail services is applied uniformly in the
internal market?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(14 August 2003)

The Commission is aware of the fact that a number of court cases and inquiries are under way in France
against TNT Jet Services and other express mail service providers for evading labour law provisions by
using subcontractors. A complaint has been filed with the Commission in that respect which alleges a
discriminatory application by the French Authorities of the national rules, notably labour law rules, on the
use of subcontractors.

The Commission is at present analysing this complaint in order to verify whether there is effectively a
problem of discrimination and whether there is scope for intervention in application of the European law.

The Commission has already sent a letter to the French State communicating that it is looking at the above
mentioned complaint and asking which is its position vis-a-vis the circumstances mentioned in it.

On the basis of the position of the French State and of the further evidences that the complainant will be
able to produce, the Commission will decide whether there is scope for its intervention on the matter at
issue.

As finally regards your concerns about an uniform enforcement of the liberalisation of express mail
services,
record of Commission’s decisions and initiatives regarding the application of
competition rules in the postal sector constitutes a strong evidence of its commitment in this respect.

the recent

(2004/C 58 E/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2096/03

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Construction of high voltage power station by the Greek PPC in the Argyroupolis (cid:1) Ilioupolis area

The planning and construction of a high voltage power station (HVPS) by the Greek PPC was approved in
accordance with Article 24 of the Greek law L. 2516/1997 in an area that belongs to the B protection
zone of mount Imittos. The stipulations of this article were judged non valid by the High Administrative
Court, due to infringement of the article 24 of the Greek Constitution referring to protection of the
environment. Objections (referring to the construction licence and the environmental impact assessment
study) were submitted by the mayor of
the city of Argyroupolis and a few citizens to the High
Administrative Court against the construction of the HVPS, but the trial has been postponed three times
(1 November 2002, 7 February 2003 and 9 May 2003). Three public schools are situated less than 50
metres from the area where the HVPS will be constructed.

Although the construction of the HVPS violates the Greek Constitution, the Government has adopted a
new law L. 2947/2002 for Olympic works, which includes the construction of the HVPS. Referring to this
law, the Minister of Public Works issued another construction licence, No 59365/25.7.2002. The PPC and
the Government never examined alternative solutions, contrary to the provisions of Greek Law.

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2004

Furthermore, the Government has refused to give access to interested parties to the new construction
plans, and policemen present in the neighbourhood since the beginning of May 2003 have refused access
to the wider area to the general public.

Do the present works on the HVPS by the PPC in Argyroupolis-Ilioupolis comply with Directive 97/11/
EC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment?

Under which authorised planning and construction licence are the works on the HVPS being continued?

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2003)

A complaint concerning the plan to build a power station with high-voltage overhead transmission lines in
the Argyroupolis-Ilioupolis area has already been registered under the reference number 2002/5430.

A letter has been sent to the Greek authorities requesting information on compliance with the provisions
of Directive 85/337/EEC (1), as amended by Directive 97/11/EC (2), and the measures taken to meet the
requirements of Directive 92/43/EEC (3).

Once it has received a formal reply from the Greek authorities, the Commission will examine the
information provided to check for any incompatibility with the Community provisions in force, and will
then take appropriate action. However, the Commission does not have the power to give a decision on
possible breaches of Greek law, such as failure to comply with Article 24 of the Greek Constitution.

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of certain public and private projects on the

environment, OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment

of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2004/C 58 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2109/03

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Subject: Illegal immigration

Boatloads of illegal immigrants are continuing to land on the southern coasts of Italy. Although the Italian
government’s efforts to tackle this issue reduced the numbers by more than 15 thousand last year, Italy
cannot solve this complex problem alone.

Does the Commission not consider that it should apply the principle of financial burden-sharing between
Member States and try to ensure that future cooperation agreements with States from which illegal
immigrants come are no longer signed by individual countries but by the EU, in line with the proposal put
forward in 1995?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2003)

in its Communication adopted on 3 June 2003 (1), pays particular attention to the
The Commission,
principle of burden sharing and to the more efficient management of the external borders of the Union.
The Commission proposes to make use of the margin available from 2004-2006 (heading 3 of the
financial perspectives) to make available EUR 80 million that would represent a first effort of solidarity in