WRITTEN QUESTION P-0714/04 by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission. Conversion of ENEL's Valdaliga Nord power station at Civitavecchia.
Date: 2004-03-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, air quality, application of EU law, dust, environmental law, environmental protection, environmental standard, metal pollution, power plant, public health

C 84 E/856

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

We expect that agreement can be reached on the open issues in the coming months. In line with the
normal procedure for risk assessments carried out under Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93, the final
report will subsequently be sent to the CSTEE for their opinion on the scientific basis of the conclusions.
A summary of these conclusions will subsequently be published in the Official Journal of the European
Union as a Commission recommendation.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 of 23 March 1993 on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing

substances, OJ L 84, 5.4.1993.

(2004/C 84 E/0948)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0714/04

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 March 2004)

Subject: Conversion of ENEL’s ‘Valdaliga Nord’ power station at Civitavecchia

ENEL’s ‘Valdaliga Nord’ power station at Civitavecchia is in the process of being converted into a coal-fired
power plant that would be highly noxious and have a devastating impact on the environment (carbon
dioxide (cid:1) CO2 (cid:1) emissions an average of 40 % higher than for oil and 50 % higher than for methane,
at higher costs). This flies in the face of the precautionary principle and of the opposition of the general
public, as unanimously expressed in the referendum held by the municipalities of Civitavecchia and
Tarquinia but nevertheless opposed and disregarded by ENEL and the Ministry for Productive Activities.

Already in the area, the incidence of tumours, respiratory diseases and all the illnesses linked to the
presence of fine dusts is much higher than the average, being 50 times greater than the national and
regional average. The district is already at a serious environmental risk and already has three power
stations, two special refuse disposal sites and heavy traffic both at sea and on land. Despite the notification
sent to Italy, there have been continued violations of Directive 96/62/EC (1) and Directive 1999/30/EC (2) in
the field of air quality, and specifically of the requirement
to provide daily information on PM10
concentrations.

The Civitavecchia combustion plant will also be a source of severe toxicity in terms of carbon dioxide,
arsenic, mercury, radionuclides, chromium and nickel. Directive 2001/80/EC (3) on the limitation of
emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants has also been infringed, since
Italy has failed to transpose this into national law (a matter which the Commission has already referred to
the EC Court of Justice).

With regard to this situation, what urgent measures will the Commission take to appropriately prevent
damage being occasioned, in terms of health and the environment, by pollution from ENEL’s Valdaliga
Nord power station to the people of Civitavecchia and the neighbouring municipalities of Allumiere, Blera,
Cerveteri, Ladispoli, Tarquinia and Tolfa, bearing in mind Italy’s longstanding and repeated failures to
comply with, and violations of, the principles laid down in the Treaty and the urgent need to prevent
serious and irreparable damage to the environment, health and the local economy?

(1) OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55.
(2) OJ L 163, 29.6.1999, p. 41.
(3) OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 2004)

The fact that the ENEL’s ‘Valdaliga Nord’ power station at Civitavecchia is in the process of being
converted into a coal-fired power plant
in itself contrary to any provisions of Community
environmental law.

is not

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/857

Of course, as a combustion installation with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 Megawatt (MW), it will be
subject
to the requirements provided for by Council Directives 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996
concerning integrated pollution prevention and control and 2001/80/EC of the Parliament and of the
Commission of 23 October 2001, on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from
large combustion plants (1).
In particular, according to Article 8 of Directive 96/61/EC, competent
authorities are obliged to ensure that permits granted to the new installations covered by this Directive
include all measures necessary for compliance with the requirements of Articles 3 and 10 in order to
achieve a high level of protection for the environment as a whole by means of protection of the air, water
and land. In addition, according to Article 4 of Directive 2001/80/EC the competent authorities are obliged
to ensure that licences granted for the construction or for the operation of the new installations covered by
this Directive contain conditions relating to compliance with the emission limit values laid down in part B
of Annexes III to VII in respect of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust. In accordance with Article 10
of Directive 2001/80/EC, the same limit values shall apply where the operator of a combustion plant is
envisaging a change within the meaning of Article 2(10) b and 12(2) of Directive 96/61/EC.

In the light of the information given by the Honourable Member, it appears that such permits and licences
have not yet been issued. Therefore, no breach of Community law can be identified at present. The
infringement procedure for failure to transpose Directive 2001/80/EC in the Italian legal system,
mentioned by the Honourable Member, is a general one and it has no specific link with the situation in
Civitavecchia.

Emissions from large combustion plants contribute to concentrations in ambient air of certain pollutants
which are regulated by Community air quality legislation. As regards the Directives on air quality,
in particular Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and
management and Council Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 relating to limit values for sulphur
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air,
the
Commission started an infringement procedure against Italy for its failure to monitor PM10 concentrations
in Civitavecchia. No other breach of the above-mentioned directives has been identified as regards the
same area and no further breach can be identified on the basis of the information given by the Honourable
Member. However, if PM10 concentrations in that zone had exceeded limit values together with a margin
of tolerance, the Italian authorities would be under the obligation to establish a plan or program within
the meaning of Article 8(3) of Directive 96/62/EC, and to ensure compliance with the limit values laid
down by Directive 1999/30/EC by 1 January 2005 at the latest. The Commission is closely monitoring
compliance with the above obligations for all Member States, including Italy.

As regards air pollution from arsenic and mercury, the Commission is aware of the toxicity of these
substances and, on 16 July 2003, it adopted a proposal for a Directive on concentrations of arsenic,
cadium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air (2).

(1) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.
(2) COM(2003) 423 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0949)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0719/04

by Ieke van den Burg (PSE) to the Commission

(10 March 2004)

Subject: Training and development funds in the Netherlands as a contribution to the Lisbon strategy

The Netherlands is active, on the basis of the Lisbon strategy and Council opinion, in deploying initiatives
jointly with the social partners to combat unemployment among lower-skilled workers. An important
means of financing such activities is being created in the form of contributions by the social partners to
training and development funds. These funds are private contributions financed from the margin arising
out of wage negotiations. Where a sectoral collective bargain is struck, the relevant collective-bargaining