WRITTEN QUESTION P-2285/03 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Counterproductive campaign by the Málaga municipal authority.
Date: 2003-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Andalusia, European Regional Development Fund, domestic waste, ecology movement, local government, public awareness campaign, waste recycling

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WRITTEN QUESTION E-2284/03

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 July 2003)

Subject: Environmental standards in aquaculture

Does the Commission intend to propose minimum environmental standards for aquaculture in the EU?
If so, will this be accompanied by measures to ensure that such requirements do not place EU fish farmers
at a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis fish farmers from third countries?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Aquaculture is already subject to a number of environmental standards derived from the application of
general environmental law. For example, the Water Framework Directive (1) provides a general framework
for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters which is also applicable to
fish farms located in these waters.

Further to these conditions, and as indicated in the Commission’s Communication regarding ‘A strategy for
the sustainable development of aquaculture’ (2), the Commission will examine whether to include intensive
fish farming into the scope of the IPPC Directive (3). If so, this will require the setting of permit conditions
for fish farms on the basis of best available techniques (BAT). A proposal to extend the scope of the IPPC
Directive would be subject to an impact assessment addressing, inter alia, potential competitivity concerns.

In addition, and with a view to preventing accidental introductions of non-indigenous aquatic species, the
Commission will propose management rules that are consistent with the 1995 International Council for
the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Code of Practice on the Introduction and Transfer of Maríne Organisms.

As far as accompanying measures are concerned, the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG)
established by Regulation 2792/1999 (4) foresees (Annex III, 2.2(d)) a treatment of favour for investments
that reduce environmental impact by reducing the required contribution of private beneficiaries to 30 % of
eligible expenditure in Objective 1 regions and 50 % in other areas, instead of 40 % and 60 % respectively.

(1) Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for

Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000.

(2) COM(2002) 511 final.
(3) Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control,

OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements

regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector, OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2004/C 58 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2285/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 July 2003)

Subject: Counterproductive campaign by the Málaga municipal authority

A campaign to raise public awareness as to the need to recycle household waste, unveiled in early March
2003 by the environmental services unit of the Málaga municipal authority, has provoked fierce criticism
from environmental and conservationist groups. The slogan chosen for the campaign is: ‘Re-use is a thing
of the past. Recycling is the future’.

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to discard them for
The campaign seeks to encourage Málaga’s citizens not
subsequent recycling. In doing so it contradicts basic environmental principles and Directive 91/156/
EEC (1) (which requires institutions firstly to prevent waste production, secondly to encourage re-use, and
thirdly to recycle waste, in that order).

to re-use objects but

Is the Commission aware of the aforementioned campaign? Will it say whether or not the campaign has
been financed from the Cohesion Fund? If so, what measures does it intend to take in this regard?

Does it believe that
environmentally friendly practices of the very citizens it is targeting?

this campaign may give rise to misleading information and undermine the

(1) OJ L 78, 26.3.1991, p. 32.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2003)

The top priority of Community waste policy is to prevent waste. Accordingly, re-use of products ought to
be encouraged wherever possible. Where waste is nevertheless produced, preference should go to recovery,
notably recycling.

Waste management and processing projects co-financed by the ERDF or the Cohesion Fund often include
awareness campaigns, though this does not mean that the Commission is fully familiar with the contents
thereof.

The awareness campaign at issue here was funded by the Cohesion Fund (ERDF).

At its request, the Spanish authorities sent the Commission a report on the campaign, which included the
following information:

The general idea of the campaign was to move gradually towards the integrated management of solid
waste by according priority to:

(cid:1) trying to reduce the quantity of waste;

(cid:1) re-utilising as much waste as possible where the quantity cannot be reduced;

(cid:1) in addition to the previous two phases, recycling waste which cannot be re-used.

The campaign was intended to raise public awareness of the importance of recycling waste by separating it
and using containers properly, and to inform and educate the population regarding separate waste
collection, inter alia by explaining its impact on the environment.

Lastly, the campaign slogan was not intended to promote recycling at the expense of re-use, but simply to
inform the public about the use of different containers for separate waste collection.

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WRITTEN QUESTION P-2299/03

by Mechtild Rothe (PSE) to the Commission

(7 July 2003)

Subject: Objectives for energy from renewable sources up to 2020

The European Union first committed itself in 1998 in a White Paper to a ‘Community Strategy and Action
Plan’ to double the proportion of renewables in total energy consumption by 2010.