WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3617/97 by Konstantinos HATZIDAKIS to the Commission. Rate of progress of Greek land registry
C 158/164 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 25. 5. 98 Regulation No 2081/93 (1) are interpreted so that it is sufficient, when ERDF funds are allocated, for the environmental impact to be checked by the Land investment bank, which fills in the notifications of assistance? 2. If so, does the Commission consider that the procedure applied in the Land of Brandenburg adequately fulfils the provisions of the Regulation to the effect that arrangements be made to associate the competent environmental authorities? Does the Commission consider that the Brandenburg Land investment bank is sufficiently qualified to 3. make a proper expert assessment of the environmental impact of projects? (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 5. Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (11 December 1997) According to information supplied to the Commission by the Brandenburg Ministry of economics, which is responsible for the management in Brandenburg of European regional development fund (ERDF) funding, the Investment bank (Landes-investitionsbank › ILB) is not responsible for the evaluation of the environmental impact of ERDF cofunded actions. This function is in fact carried out by the Land environmental authorities. In the case of large projects (those with a total eligible cost over 15 or 25 MECU as the case may be), the written agreement of the Regional department of environment (Landesumweltamt) is required befor ERDF support can be given. In the case of smaller projects the ILB may only approve project payments on the basis of prior written approval by the environmental authorities (Landesumweltamt, Bauamt). (98/C 158/219) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3617/97 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE) to the Commission (10 November 1997) Subject: Rate of progress of Greek land registry Given that Greece is one of the few countries in Europe still lacking a national land registry, the establishment of such a registry is obviously a matter of capital importance for Greece. Will the Commission say, on the basis of the information it has at its disposal, what is the overall volume of appropriations set aside for funding the Greek land registry, how much has been disbursed so far, what progress has been achieved in relation to the project as a whole and when is the project expected to be completed at the present rate of progress? Answer given by Mrs Wulf- Mathies on behalf of the Commission (5 December 1997) The Environment operational programme, as approved on 29 July 1994, provides for public expenditure of ECU 172 million on the establishment of the land register in Greece, representing a third of the programmeís budget. Following the recent discussions on the amendment of the Community support framework (CSF), it is planned in principle to reduce the budget for the land register by ECU 33. 3 million (public expenditure). The current absorption rate of this project is 11%. That rate is expected to double (22%) by the end of 1997, when the signed contracts will represent ECU 120 million. The Commission considers that it was necessary to make proper legislative and organisational preparations for the introduction of a national land register system. This necessarily took time, so that the utilisation of funds as such could only start as from this year. The Commission believes that there are no more obstacles to prevent absorption of the appropriations within the time limit laid down in the CSF. According to the programming of the Greek authorities, it will take approximately 15 years to complete the land register throughout Greece