WRITTEN QUESTION E-0246/04 by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission. Start of work on the Ebro Transfer.
Date: 2004-02-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, EU financing arrangements, European Regional Development Fund, Spain, hydraulic works

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/555

On 13 January 2004, the Commission further adopted a three-pronged strategy to clarify and improve
economic policy coordination and surveillance (2). As part of this strategy, based on the experience of the
five first years of EMU and building on the November 2002 Communication, the Commission, will make
new proposals for the strengthening of economic governance in the future.
Improvements in the
implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact will form part of this initiative.

(1) COM(2002) 668 final.
(2) See also answer to Written Question E-4071/03 by Mr Ribeiro e Castro, See page 520.

(2004/C 84 E/0633)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0246/04

by Joan Colom i Naval (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2004)

Subject: Start of work on the Ebro Transfer

The Spanish Ministry of the Environment has announced that the government will lay the first stone in the
work on the Ebro Transfer at
the end of February, more specifically on the section linking the
underground stretch of the River Segura to the Campos del Rio aqueduct in Murcia and the mouth of the
Saltador al Camino del Cerro Minado tunnel in Almanzora (Almeria). Likewise, a company under contract
from the Spanish Ministry of the Environment has started excavations at Ulldecona and Alcanar in the
province of Tarragona. At her meeting with the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment,
Public Health and Consumer Policy on 16 December 2003,
the Environment Commissioner gave
assurances that the work on the Ebro Transfer would be viewed as a whole and not as separate projects.

Can the projects in question be financed separately or must they be included in the overall Ebro Transfer
package? Has an application for European Union funding been made for these projects? Will such funding
be granted?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 2004)

The Spanish authorities have submitted to the Commission for co-financing under the Structural Funds
and the Cohesion Fund a set of four projects linked to the Ebro transfer. For one of the projects, the
northern sector, community co-financing has been requested under the Cohesion Fund while for the other
three (major projects) the requests have been made under the European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF), within the framework of
the regional Operational Programmes for Valencia, Murcia and
Andalucía.

The dates from which expenditure can be considered eligible for these projects is 29 December 2004 for
the Cohesion Fund and the 1 January 2000 for the Structural Funds. It is not necessary for the Spanish
authorities to await a decision by the Commission to launch these projects, although in such a situation
the authorities incur the risk that the project does not meet the conditions necessary for approval by the
Commission as set out in the relevant regulations.

While the above-mentioned projects have been presented as a group and, will, therefore, be evaluated as
such by the Commission; it remains the exclusive competence of the Spanish authorities to decide on the
most appropriate way to implement them,
including matters related to the number of construction
contracts considered necessary for technical or efficiency reasons.

At present, the Commission is in the process of analysing the submitted projects. A decision concerning
the possible allocation of Community funds for these projects can only be taken once all the information
has been carefully analysed. This decision will be made according to the existing rules and procedures as
set down in the relevant regulations, and in full compliance with the applicable Community legislation and
policies including those relating to the environment.