WRITTEN QUESTION E-3411/03 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission. Granting subsidies to the NHP and the Ródano water transfer.
Date: 2003-11-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: environmental impact, hydrology, impact study, project evaluation, support policy, watercourse

C 78 E/812

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Does the Commission know that no assessment has been made of the environmental impact resulting
from the future water transfer as provided for in the Ebro Delta ‘Integral Plan’.

Will the Commission make the granting of any EU subsidies to the National Hydrological Plan scheme
conditional on the carrying out of assessments of the environmental impact on the Ebro delta and the
establishment of the minimum guaranteed ecological flows?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.

(2004/C 78 E/0861)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3411/03

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 November 2003)

Subject: Granting subsidies to the NHP and the Ródano water transfer

On 1 November 2003, the Spanish Official Journal published the resolution setting out the environmental
impact statement for the National Hydrological Plan’s water transfers scheme authorised by Spanish Law
10/3001.

It is a fact that the transfer of water from the River Ebro to other catchment areas will change the river’s
own ecological conditions, and also those of the Ebro delta and the surrounding marine ecosystem.

the same Law provides for the possibility of

incorporating transfers other than those
Furthermore,
envisaged in the scheme. The Catalan autonomous government carried out a study of an alternative
transfer of water from the River Ródano to Catalunya’s interior catchment areas, and forwarded this to the
Spanish Government. Catalunya’s interior catchment areas contain 4,5 million inhabitants, whose current
water supply is already problematic, and could become very much more so in the near future.

The transfer of water from the Ródano would involve a flow of between 10 and 20 m3/s, which would
have a very reduced impact, given the average flow at the river mouth, which is approximately 1 700 m3/s.

Does the Commission know that no assessment has been made of the environmental impact resulting
from the future water transfer as provided for in the Ebro delta ‘Integral Plan’, nor has any consideration
been given to the possibilities offered by transferring water from the Ródano, as in the proposal referred to
above.

Will the Commission make the granting of any EU subsidies to the National Hydrological Plan scheme
conditional on the carrying out of assessments of the environmental
impact on the Ebro delta, the
establishment of the minimum guaranteed ecological flows, and the assessment of the repercussion of the
Ródano water transfer?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3410/03 and E-3411/03
given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2004)

The Commission is aware of the Spanish Government’s Environmental Impact Statement in relation to the
proposed Ebro transfer.

First of all the detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (30 volumes published in June 2003) does
include some information on the probable environmental
the
Commission is aware that the integrated plan for the protection of the delta has not yet been produced.
It is this plan which will establish the management arrangements, including the flow regime, to protect the
ecological and chemical status of the lower River Ebro and the Ebro delta.

impact on the Ebro delta. However,

In relation to the possibility of a transfer from the River Rhone, this option was addressed in the Strategic
Environmental Assessment carried out by the Spanish authorities and published in January 2002.

27.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/813

Finally, with regard to use of Community funding mechanisms (structural funds or cohesion fund) all
projects benefiting from Community financial support are required ‘inter alia’ to respect Community
legislation and policies including environmental legislation and policies.

(2004/C 78 E/0862)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3436/03

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 November 2003)

Subject: Harmonisation of the European energy market

The company ‘Portovesme s.r.l.’, located at Portovesme near Cagliari, is Italy’s leading producer of non-
ferrous metals, lead and zinc.

It is currently one of the most modern and integrated metallurgical plants in Europe, but in order to
operate it needs large quantities of energy, which in Sardinia (cid:1) in terms of lire (cid:1) costs ITL 120-130 per
kWh, whilst in other EU Member States, such as France or Germany, businesses in the sector pay the
equivalent of ITL 50-60 per kWh.

Under these unfair conditions ‘Portovesme s.r.l.’ is no longer competitive and 1 500 workers may be laid
off, a prospect which would be detrimental to the already critical employment situation in Sardinia.

Does the Commission not consider that such large-scale distortions of
incomplete harmonisation in the energy sector? How does it intend to remedy this serious situation?

the market are caused by

In addition to long-term solutions, is it possible to take specific action to support ‘Portovesme s.r.l.’, in
view of the special needs of island regions?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

According to the final report of the tenth (Italian) parliamentary Commission, which performed an
extensive investigation on the status and perspectives of the energy sector, the reasons for the higher price
of energy in Italy, in comparison with other Member States are in particular:

(a) a market that still lacks competition,

(b)

the choice of more expensive fuels,

(c)

the low conversion efficiency of power plants.

The action of
the Commission has been focused on the first problem for several years, and two
Directives (1) on this issue have now been adopted by the Council and Parliament, giving a strong impulse
to the development of a single, efficient and competitive market throughout the Union, the internal
electricity market. This in turn should, over a period of time, have a substantial effect in reducing the price
differences for electricity among Member States. However, it is unlikely that price differences will disappear
completely, because the remaining reasons concern national energy policies, which in conformity with the
subsidiarity principle, are dealt with by each Member State.

(1) Directive 96/92/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the
internal market in electricity, OJ L 27, 30.1.1997; Directive 2003/54/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of
26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 96/92/EC (cid:1)
Statements made with regard to decommissioning and waste management activities, OJ L 176, 15.7.2003, which
has to be implemented by Member States by 1 July 2004.