WRITTEN QUESTION No. 596/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Projects relating to the Olympic Games in 2004
C 304/138 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 An inter-service group on off-site emergency preparedness (OSEP) was established within the Commission in 1995 with the objectives not only to co-ordinate and provide for improvements to emergency preparedness in Eastern Europe but also to improve arrangements for information exchange within Eastern Europe and with the Community to enable timely response to any future accident. With funding from TACIS, PHARE and ECHO some ten or more projects have been launched to respond to these objectives and others are in preparation. (1) OJ L 159, 29. 6. 1996. (2) OJ L 371, 30. 12. 1987. (3) OJ L 371, 30. 12. 1987. (4) OJ L 357, 7. 12. 1989. (98/C 304/205) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0596/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (4 March 1998) Subject: Projects relating to the Olympic Games in 2004 In its reply to my Question No 3097/97 (1) the Commission stresses that it will therefore continue to ensure the respect of the provisions of this Directive (Directive 85/337/EEC (2)) in case it would be applicable to Olympic Games projectsí. The Greek authorities plan to build six sports grounds along the coast of the Saronic Gulf for the Olympic Games of 2004. Environmental organisations and local bodies allege that these facilities will destroy the region and recall that, according to the Ministry for the Environment, Regional Planning and Public Works, a regeneration scheme had been planned there (green sites, etc. ). Moreover, studies co-funded by the Commission have been carried out with a view to drawing up such a regeneration scheme. Will the Commission say whether it is aware of the above, how it views this inconsistency and whether it can guarantee that it will monitor the relevant investments and ensure that Community legislation is respected? (1) OJ C 117, 16. 4. 1998, p. 151. (2) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (31 March 1998) The Commission has no additional information on the 2004 Olympic games since its reply to the Honourable Memberís previous written question E-3097/97. Planning issues in the Saronikos Gulf area are within the competence of the Greek authorities which decide on specific uses or development projects, and to make use or not of previous plans and studies, some of which may have been partially funded with Community assistance. Though it would be regrettable if resources had been wasted, new elements such as the 2004 Olympic games can certainly lead the authorities to re-orientation of choices. In all cases however the obligation remains for the Greek authorities to respect Community environmental legislation when applicable. The Commission will use existing procedures to ensure that this will be the case