title: WRITTEN QUESTION E-0818/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Baling plant at Vilaboa (Galicia).

eurovoc_concepts: representative of local or regional authority

text: C 53 E/28 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 2. 2001 (2001/C 53 E/032) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0818/00 by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Baling plant at Vilaboa (Galicia) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (1) of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds institutes a spirit of association between the various levels of public administration (European, national, regional and local government) in addition to social and economic agents. However, some projects subsidised by the European Community are being carried out against the wishes of the local representatives in whose municipalities they are under way, and in spite of opposition from residents. As a result, people are rejecting the Community institutions and the idea of European integration. Such is the case in Vilaboa (Galicia), where there are plans to build a baling plant for the incineration of waste, as part of the Galicia programme for solid urban waste, which is co-financed by the European Community. These plans have been rejected by the local municipal council and residents. Is the Commission aware of the opposition of local representatives and public opinion? How does it view the fact that it is co-funding a project that has been rejected by the local council and residents? Bearing in mind that in the Community range of treatments for solid urban waste the Commission places incineration below the sorting of waste, does the Commission think that the Sogama programme is in line with Community priorities? The residents wrote to the Commission at the time complaining at the absence of an environmental impact assessment, and the study was subsequently carried out. In its reply to the residents(cid:146) complaint (of 15 December 1998), the Commission informed them that it was currently looking into ways of adapting the urban solid waste management plan in the light of requirements arising from the directives on waste. What results has the Commission obtained from this investigation? What conclusions has it reached on adapting the plan? (1) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999, p. 1. Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission (18 May 2000) Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975 on waste (1) (Article 7) requires that Member States establish waste management plans, which must relate in particular to the type, quantity and origin of the waste, general technical requirements, any special arrangements for particular waste and suitable disposal site or installations. As regards Galicia, the Commission has received the Galician management plan for solid urban waste (1999). The plan provides for the construction of a transfer station (estaci(cid:243)n de transferencia) at Vilaboa. Community waste legislation neither obliges Member States to build waste treatment or disposal installa- tions at a specific place nor does it oblige them to have recourse to a specific way of waste treatment. It is thus the Member State(cid:146)s choice whether material recycling of waste or waste incineration (cid:129) with or without energy recovery (cid:129) is preferred in a given situation. The above-mentioned plan does not indicate how it was generated and whether the public concerned was properly and adequately consulted. Apart from Council Directive 85/337/CEE of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (2), Community waste law is silent on this question. Eventual irregularities relating to the production of the plan would have to be solved at the appropriate local, regional or national level. Concerning Council Directive 85/337/CEE, in the framework of a complaint concerning this issue, the Commission has confirmed that an environmental impact assessment was carried out in this case. it must be noted that, 20. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 53 E/29 it must be noted that within the Cohesion fund project In relation to the financing of this plan, No 97. 11. 61. 047, (cid:145)Plan de Gesti(cid:243)n de los Residuos S(cid:243)lidos Urbanos de Galicia(cid:146), it is planned to build a number of transfer stations to transport the municipal waste from all Galicia to a central recycling and recovery plant in the (cid:145)Complexo Medioambiental de Cerceda(cid:146). In principle it was envisaged to build the transfer station in Vilaboa in order to collect the waste from the whole area of the city of Vigo and surroundings. Due to the social opposition to the construction of such a facility, and after a consideration of the plan with a view to locating the transfer stations closer to the production centres (the municipalities), it was decided to continue operating the existing transfer station in Vigo and to review the size of the transfer station in Vilaboa in order to adapt it to the needs of this municipality. (1) OJ L 194, 25. 7. 1975. (2) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985. (2001/C 53 E/033) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0819/00 by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Diversion of water from the River Jœcar to Vinalop(cid:243) in Valencia (Spain) According to recent press reports in the Autonomous Region of Valencia the Spanish Ministry of the Environment has asked the European Union for aid for the Jœcar-Vinalop(cid:243) water diversion project. The work on this project was approved by the Spanish authorities in August 1998 for the alleged purpose of (cid:145)meeting the needs of the districts of Vinalop(cid:243), Alacanti and Mar(cid:237)na Baja, without any danger of over- exploiting the aquifers(cid:146). However, since the project was announced, the neighbourhood associations of the communities affected, such as the Riu Xœquer coordinating committee, trade unions such as the CCOO and other environmental groups have been claiming that the various routes proposed, taking water from the La Muela or Cortes reservoirs, would have an extremely adverse environmental impact on the fauna, flora, landscape, aquifers and cultural heritage of the district they would go through. Furthermore the town councils, associations and communities affected have doubts about the energy efficiency arguments used by the project(cid:146)s advocates, in that the energy saved by pumping the water from the La Muela reservoir would be lost elsewhere, since there is not enough volume to harness the waters downstream, making it impossible to use them to generate energy. Furthermore, the groups opposed to the diversion suspect that the real purpose of the project is to provide water resources for the (cid:145)Terra M(cid:237)tica(cid:146) theme park now under construction. In view of the fact that: (cid:129) the current environmental impact study accompanying the project does not assess to what extent the diversion will affect the minimum volume of water needed by the environment, (cid:129) the diverted waters flow thorough an area in which considerable human and financial resources have for many years been devoted to developing depressed areas, for example under the EU(cid:146)s Leader programme, and the project would have an adverse effect on these vulnerable areas, (cid:129) a study carried out by the regional government shows that taking water from the Jœcar would affect Lake Albufera (a protected zone under the LIFE programme), since 50 % of its water comes from the streams belonging to the Jœcar irrigation system, can the Commission say whether it is true that the Ministry for the Environment has applied for aid for the Jœcar-Vinalop(cid:243) diversion? If so, under which budget heading is the allocation and what funding is being allocated Does the Commission not consider that this project may constitute an infringement of Community environmental legislation, in particular because of the absence of a statement of the environmental impact, the possible infringement of the Directive on habitats, etc. ?


title: PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0837/00 apresentada por Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) à Comissão. Exploração de ferro-níquel na localidade de Platani, Agia Sofia (Eubea).

eurovoc_concepts:
EU law
Greece
environmental impact
environmental protection
impact study
nickel
pollution control measures

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text: 21. 11. 2000 PT Jornal Oficial das Comunidades Europeias C 330 E/217 As provas apresentadas no relat(cid:243)rio dªo a entender que no mercado europeu existem televisores mais suscept(cid:237)veis de entrar em combustªo e arder violentamente em caso de incŒndio, desta forma encurtando consideravelmente o tempo de que as pessoas dispıem para a fuga. Este facto tem implica(cid:231)ıes nos lares europeus e, em particular, nos hospitais e instala(cid:231)ıes de presta(cid:231)ªo de cuidados de saœde, em que as normas em matØria de incŒndio visam o controlo da inflamabilidade dos artigos e, consequentemente, dos riscos, tendo em conta a dificuldade de evacuar pacientes em caso de incŒndio. IrÆ a Comissªo proceder (cid:224) revisªo urgente das normas de seguran(cid:231)a dos televisores vendidos na Europa para assegurar que os grupos mais vulnerÆveis da sociedade gozem de um grau de protec(cid:231)ªo igual ou superior ao dos Estados Unidos? Resposta dada por Erkki Liikanen em nome da Comissªo (18 de Abril de 2000) A Comissªo dÆ grande prioridade (cid:224)s questıes relacionadas com a seguran(cid:231)a contra incŒndios. A Comissªo contactou as entidades suecas em causa para obter mais informa(cid:231)ıes sobre o relat(cid:243)rio do Instituto Sueco de Ensaio e Investiga(cid:231)ªo, referido pelo Senhor Deputado. A seguran(cid:231)a dos televisores Ø regulamentada pela Directiva 73/23/CEE, «Baixa Tensªo», relativa ao material elØctrico destinado a ser utilizado dentro de certos limites de tensªo (1). Os aspectos relativos (cid:224) seguran(cid:231)a contra incŒndios sªo tratados mais pormenorizadamente na norma harmonizada 60065:1998, «Aparelhos audio, v(cid:237)deo e similares (cid:129) requisitos de seguran(cid:231)a», adoptada pelo CENELEC, organismo europeu de normaliza(cid:231)ªo. A Comissªo nªo recebeu, atØ ao momento, qualquer informa(cid:231)ªo das entidades nacionais competentes acerca das lacunas da referida norma relativamente (cid:224) seguran(cid:231)a contra incŒndios. Todavia, em resposta (cid:224) pergunta do Senhor Deputado, a Comissªo levantarÆ a questªo junto das entidades nacionais responsÆveis pela aplica(cid:231)ªo da directiva «Baixa Tensªo» na sua pr(cid:243)xima reuniªo, marcada para 26 e 27 de Abril de 2000. SerÆ entªo considerada a necessidade de novas medidas, incluindo o potencial para uma revisªo das normas de seguran(cid:231)a relevantes quanto a televisores, com base nas informa(cid:231)ıes fornecidas pelos Estados- -membros. (1) JO L 77 de 26. 3. 1973. (2000/C 330 E/253) PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0837/00 apresentada por Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) (cid:224) Comissªo (21 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000) Objecto: Explora(cid:231)ªo de ferro-n(cid:237)quel na localidade de «Platani», Agia Sofia (Eubea) A empresa Larko A. E. iniciou as suas actividades na regiªo de Agia Sofia (Eubea) em Maio de 1997 e iniciou paralelamente a explora(cid:231)ªo de jazidas superficiais de ferro-n(cid:237)quel na localidade de Platani. Dado que: (cid:129) O MinistØrio do Ambiente Ordenamento do Territ(cid:243)rio e Obras Pœblicas, Direc(cid:231)ªo-Geral do Ambiente, com a Decisªo Ministerial Conjunta no 111249/5. 8. 98 aprovou o estudo de impacto ambiental da Larko por processo sumÆrio, isto Ø, sem publica(cid:231)ªo e informa(cid:231)ªo das entidades locais, em viola(cid:231)ªo da Directiva 85/337/CEE (1), (cid:129) O Director dos servi(cid:231)os florestais de Eubea com a Decisªo no 3243/2. 11. 98 cedeu (cid:224) empresa 85,7 hectares de Ærea florestal pœblica na localidade de Platani principalmente de pinhal, C 330 E/218 Jornal Oficial das Comunidades Europeias PT 21. 11. 2000 (cid:129) A Direc(cid:231)ªo dos servi(cid:231)os florestais de Chalkida concedeu uma autoriza(cid:231)ªo de extrac(cid:231)ªo (cid:224) empresa em contradi(cid:231)ªo com a disposi(cid:231)ªo de proibi(cid:231)ªo florestal no 4049/4. 11. 87 da mesma Direc(cid:231)ªo com base na qual foi proibida a pastagem no pinhal de Agia Sofia a fim de permitir a sua regenera(cid:231)ªo natural atØ 2007, (cid:129) Os habitantes e entidades da regiªo apresentaram queixa e recurso ao Conselho de Estado, (cid:129) A actividade da Larko na regiªo no per(cid:237)odo 1998-99 causou danos (cid:224) rede viÆria de Agia Sofia-Psachni em consequŒncia do transporte do minØrio e do tr(cid:226)nsito de ve(cid:237)culos pesados nesta via que nªo foi reparada, (cid:129) O ecossistema da regiªo foi afectado, em particular o pinhal, Ærea protegida com base na constitui(cid:231)ªo grega bem como a praia de Limnionas para a qual se escoam lamas vermelhas por nªo haver instala(cid:231)ıes de reten(cid:231)ªo de res(cid:237)duos, o que afecta tanto a cria(cid:231)ªo de gado como o turismo na regiªo. Pode a Comissªo investigar esta questªo e examinar se, nos termos da lei, foram publicados os estudos de impacto ambiental apropriados e tomadas todas as outras medidas de aplica(cid:231)ªo correcta do direito comunitÆrio? Que medidas tomarÆ a Comissªo se verificar viola(cid:231)ıes como as supracitadas (cid:224) legisla(cid:231)ªo ambiental comunitÆria? Tenciona solicitar (cid:224)s autoridades competentes gregas que procedam (cid:224)s iniciativas e interven(cid:231)ıes necessÆrias com vista (cid:224) protec(cid:231)ªo dos habitantes da regiªo bem como (cid:224) reabilita(cid:231)ªo paisag(cid:237)stica do local? (1) JO L 175 de 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Resposta dada pela ComissÆria Wallstr(cid:246)m em nome da Comissªo (13 de Abril de 2000) A Comissªo nªo dispıe de informa(cid:231)ıes sobre as actividades da empresa Larko em Evia. O tipo de actividade descrito pelo Senhor Deputado estÆ previsto no Anexo II da Directiva 85/337/CEE, com a redac(cid:231)ªo que lhe foi dada pela Directiva 97/11/CE (1). Na sua qualidade de guardiª do Tratado, a Comissªo instruirÆ o dossier para se certificar de que nªo houve viola(cid:231)ªo do direito comunitÆrio aquando da aprova(cid:231)ªo, pelas autoridades gregas, do estudo de avalia(cid:231)ªo do impacto apresentado pela empresa Larko. Se a Comissªo constatar que a legisla(cid:231)ªo comunitÆria foi violada, decidirÆ se iniciarÆ um processo de infrac(cid:231)ªo com base no artigo 226o (ex-artigo 169o) do Tratado CE. (1) Directiva 97/11/CE do Conselho, de 3 de Mar(cid:231)o de 1997, que altera a Directiva 85/337/CEE, relativa (cid:224) avalia(cid:231)ªo dos efeitos de determinados projectos pœblicos e privados no ambiente, JO L 73 de 14. 3. 1997. (2000/C 330 E/254) PERGUNTA ESCRITA E-0839/00 apresentada por Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) (cid:224) Comissªo (21 de Mar(cid:231)o de 2000) Objecto: Problemas na aplica(cid:231)ªo do programa operacional para o ensino e forma(cid:231)ªo profissional do Quadro ComunitÆrio de Apoio para a GrØcia Em Maio de 1998 o MinistØrio da Educa(cid:231)ªo grego abriu um concurso para a moderniza(cid:231)ªo do material didÆctico para a disciplina de qu(cid:237)mica nas trŒs classes do liceu a titulo da reformula(cid:231)ªo e moderniza(cid:231)ªo dos programas de ensino de ciŒncias naturais empreendida pelo ministØrio da educa(cid:231)ªo no (cid:226)mbito do programa operacional ensino e forma(cid:231)ªo profissional inicial, sob-programa A1, Medida 1. 1 do Quadro ComunitÆrio de Apoio para a GrØcia. Organismo de publica(cid:231)ªo dos livros didÆcticos aprovou trŒs pacotes de material didÆctico e com a decisªo ministerial (G2 6201) foi dada ordem de impressªo. No entanto, o processo de avalia(cid:231)ªo ultrapassou em muito os limites temporais previstos o que fez com que o instituto pedag(cid:243)gico encarregasse alguns dos seus membros e outras pessoas, a troco de uma remunera(cid:231)ªo elevada, da redac(cid:231)ªo de manuais provis(cid:243)rios de qu(cid:237)mica para o ano lectivo de 1999-2000, relativamente aos quais em seguida foi decidido, pelo acto 32/1999 de 24 de Novembro de 1999, a sua reimpressªo com melhorias para o ano lectivo 2000-2001. Entretanto os livros oficialmente aprovados continuam sem utiliza(cid:231)ªo