WRITTEN QUESTION E-0666/04 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Breach of environmental legislation.
Date: 2004-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Thessaly, environmental impact, environmental law, mining extraction, mining operation, project evaluation, protected area

C 88 E/200

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 2004)

The Commission is aware of the efforts of the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group (CBCDG) to
develop counterfeit deterrence technology aimed at preventing the digital reproduction of banknote
images.

The Commission considers it important that the counterfeit deterrence technology be applied.

The Commission has been in contact with the European Central Bank (ECB) on the issue of initiating
legislation making mandatory the use of the counterfeit deterrence technology in products capable of
handling digital images.

In agreement with the Commission, the ECB is currently preparing a preliminary assessment directly with
the industry.

(2004/C 88 E/0207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0666/04

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Subject: Breach of environmental legislation

By Decision 1070 of 13 May 2002, the Directorate for Forests of the region of Thessaly approved the
establishment of a quarry for the extraction and processing of inert materials at Xera in the district of
Potamia, municipality of Agia, on an area of pastureland covering 30 615 hectares.

Given that:

(cid:1) the area in question has been designated a protected area within the meaning of the Natura 2000

network,

(cid:1) the Ministry of Development delivered an opinion (APD10/B/F6.12 Gen/6422 of 9 May 2000) to the
Directorate for Industry in Larissa stating that Article 4 of Law 2115/93 prohibits the establishment of
quarries within a two-kilometre radius of designated archaeological sites or protected areas and that,
therefore,
it is not possible to set up a quarry within an area forming part of the Natura 2000
network,

(cid:1) the extractive industries produce an exceptional volume of waste which affects the environment in
terms of the quality of surface and ground water, natural stability, dust and erosion, and the quality of
terrestrial and aquatic habitats,

(cid:1) the siting of the quarry at a short distance from communities will affect sheep-rearing and apple-

growing in the region, thereby creating problems in relation to farmers’ incomes,

(cid:1) traffic problems will be created on the main route linking the town of Larissa, Agia and the coastal
area of the Prefecture of Larissa since this road network, which is already congested, particularly
during the summer months, will carry the entire volume of HGV traffic transporting the inert material,

what measures will the Commission take to stop the development of an activity which is contrary to both
Community and Greek environmental legislation?

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?