WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3722/97 by Gianni TAMINO to the Commission. Law on environmental impact assessment in the Province of Bolzano, Italy
C 187/46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 6. 98 (98/C 187/74) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3718/97 by Stelios Argyros (PPE) to the Commission (19 November 1997) Subject: Preservation of the ancient temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae (Phigaleia) Bassae in Phigaleia (in the Prefecture of Ileia in the Peloponnese in Greece) is the site of the ancient temple of Apollo Epikourios which unquestionably constitutes an important part of Europeís cultural heritage. However, this temple is now badly damaged, and immediate action is needed if it is to be saved. Its frieze is exhibited in the British Museum. Does the Commission share this concern for the survival of this temple, and can it say: 1. whether the Greek Government has shown any interest in, or set in motion any procedure for, the return of the frieze to its place of origin, so that it can be exhibited in its natural setting? 2. whether the Greek Government has submitted › or intends to submit in the immediate future › within the framework of the Community Support Framework (either in the Regional Operational Programme for the Peloponnese or as part of section 3 of the Regional Operational Programme for Tourism and Culture) a proposal for funding the construction of a museum next to the temple to house all or part of the frieze and other architectural features which are at present scattered over the surrounding area? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (7 January 1998) The Commission acknowledges the importance of the protection conservation of the ancient temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae, Greece. It is with this preoccupation in mind that in the framework of its action in favour of the European architectural heritage in 1984, the Commission supported with ECU 33 000 conservation works carried out at the temple in the period 1984-1985. Furthermore, and in the context of the framework Community support (CCA) 1994-1999 and under the operational programme (0P) for western Greece (sub programme 2, measure 3) the Regional development fund cofinances the project Protection of the temple of Epikourios Apolloní with the amount of 1. 6 MECU. However, no request has been submitted for the construction of a museum either under the regional operational programme or under the CCA operational programme for Tourism-cultureí. As to whether the Greek authorities have shown any interest or set in motion any procedures for the return of the templeís frieze by the British museum to its place of origin, the Commission has no competence to intervene. It is the exclusive responsibity of the two Member States concerned to deal with the issue. However, the Commission is not aware of any motion or request on behalf of the Greek authorities for the return of the templeís frieze by the British museum. (98/C 187/75) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3722/97 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (21 November 1997) Subject: Law on environmental impact assessment in the Province of Bolzano, Italy The Commission has had to call Italy to account on a number of occasions for failure to comply with the European Directive on environmental impact assessment in the law of the province of Bolzano. This dispute has still not been settled. In the province attention is currently focused on the Bolzano provincial councilís decision to carry out substantial rebuilding work on the airport of Bolzano, which until now has been used only for small private planes, in order to turn it into a regional airport handling scheduled flights linking Bolzano its catchment area with a number of important Italian and European cities and open it up to the profitable charter flight market, in view of the development of tourism, which is now extremely important for the economy of the whole region