WRITTEN QUESTION E-4076/03 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Widespread desiccation of pine trees in Greece.
Date: 2004-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, Mediterranean forest, apiculture, degradation of the environment, environmental impact, forest conservation, insect, scientific report

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/521

Finally, consistent with its role as the guardian of the Treaties, the Commission will seek to establish legal
clarity and predictability regarding EMU related provisions of
the EC Treaty. The Council adopted
non-binding conclusions instead of taking a decision required by the law and the Commission has,
therefore, decided to submit the Council conclusions to the scrutiny of the European Court of Justice.

(1) Press release IP/04/35.

(2004/C 84 E/0597)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4076/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 January 2004)

Subject: Widespread desiccation of pine trees in Greece

In many regions of Greece, and particularly in Attica, the widespread desiccation of pine trees has been
observed. According to published information, this phenomenon is probably due, primarily or indirectly,
to Marchalina Hellenica, a honey-producing insect which infests pines. This insect produces honeydew
which constitutes the basis for the production of pine honey.

Owing to the importance of this insect for beekeeping, this insect has been spread over the last few years
by inoculating a large number of pines. This action has been funded to the tune of some two million euros
under the Second CSF through the Ministry of Agriculture.

Given the fact that the desiccation of pines hosting the insect Marchalina Hellenica appears to be quite
widespread and poses a threat to pine forests in many regions of Greece, will the Commission say:

1. Do any scientific data exist concerning the consequences of the spread of this insect through the
inoculation of pines? Is the inoculation of pines with Marchalina Hellenica practised in other European
countries for the production of pine honey?

2. Will

it

fund research to fully investigate the phenomenon of the desiccation of pines so that
appropriate measures and steps can be taken to control and combat this phenomenon which threatens
to destroy large areas of pine forest in Greece and to establish scientifically whether or not the insect
Marchalina Hellenica is responsible for it?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2004)

1.
On 15 October 2003, the Greek Ministry of Agriculture invited experts to a workshop in order to
discuss the recent outbreak of pine tree desiccation particularly affecting the region of Attica. They
concluded that there is no direct cause/effect relationship between the presence of Marchalina hellenica
and desiccation of trees of the genus Pinus but that the desiccation is a secondary damage brought about
by i.a. climatic factors. To the Commission’s knowledge, the deliberate spreading of M. hellenica in pine
forests is only practised in Greece and Turkey.

2.
The workshop on 15 October 2003 concluded that further research into the desiccation problem
and the behaviour of M. hellenica in pine forests is necessary. As the problem does not have an EU-wide
dimension, the Commission has no plans to fund further research into it.