WRITTEN QUESTION E-0667/04 by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission. Reopening of western rail corridor between Sligo and Cork in Ireland.
Date: 2004-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Ireland, eligibility criteria, freight rate, rail network, support policy

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/201

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2004)

The Commission does not have the competence to give an opinion on possible breaches of the provisions
of Greek law or the need to go ahead with any given project. However, the Greek authorities must fulfil
the obligations arising from Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the
effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1), as amended by Council Directive
97/11/EC 3 March 1997 (2), and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (3).

Under Directive 85/337/EEC, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment must be made
subject to an environmental impact assessment before development consent is granted. These projects are
defined in Article 4, with reference to Annexes I and II to the Directive. Quarries where the surface of the
site exceeds 25 hectares (Annex I, point 19) must be made subject to a development consent procedure
and an environmental
impact assessment. The Greek legislation which transposes the Directive also
requires this procedure to be followed for smaller quarries (Annex II, point 2(a)).

The information available indicates that the disputed quarry is located at the edge of a Site of Community
Importance named ‘Karla (cid:1) Mavrovouni (cid:1) Kefalovryso Velestinou (cid:1) Neochori’ (code GR1420004) and
proposed by the Greek authorities in accordance with Directive 92/43/EEC for inclusion in the Natura
2000 ecological network. The provisions of Directive 92/43/EEC, in particular Article 6(3), are therefore
applicable.

With regard to the environmental impact assessment, the competent national authorities, i.e. the Ministry
of the Environment and not the Region of Thessaly, must adopt a ‘decision approving the environmental
impact study and after
terms’ of the project. This decision, taken on the basis of an environmental
consulting the public, is meant to define the dimensions of the project, assess the significant adverse effects
it is likely to have on the environment and establish measures for preventing and reducing them. As the
project seems likely to have significant effects on the proposed Site of Community Importance, the
‘decision approving the environmental terms’ must also involve an appropriate assessment of the project’s
effects on the site with regard to the site’s conservation objectives.

On the basis of the reported facts, the Commission does not discern any breach of the abovementioned
Directives.
If the Honourable Member has any other information which could show that project in
question is incompatible with Community environmental legislation, the Commission would ask him to
transmit it.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(3) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2004/C 88 E/0208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0667/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Subject: Reopening of western rail corridor between Sligo and Cork in Ireland

Following the publication of the report ‘West on Track’ which estimates that the western rail corridor
between Sligo and Cork in Ireland could be reopened for under EUR 250 million and that there would be
significant potential for freight traffic on the route, as well as the apparent decision by the Irish Minister
for Transport to reject the opinion of his Government’s Strategic Rail Review, which concluded that the
line would not be viable, could the Commission indicate if the possibility of re-opening this line has been
raised with it by the Irish Government? What would be the Commission’s response to such a proposal?
Does the Commission believe that such a proposal or part of it would be eligible for EU support under the
Marco Polo or other EU programmes?