WRITTEN QUESTION No. 135/98 by Carmen DÍEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA to the Commission. Erosion and loss of fertile soil
17. 7. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 223/123 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (2 March 1998) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to her Written Question E-3585/97. (98/C 223/157) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0135/98 by Carmen D ·ez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission (23 January 1998) Subject: Erosion and loss of fertile soil In some southern parts of the European Union soil erosion is occurring on an alarming scale, with up to 50 tonnes of fertile soil per hectare being lost. Each centimetre of fertile soil needs 100 years to regenerate. Does the Commission intend to strengthen its aid programmes in order to tackle soil erosion and does the common agricultural policy include any provision for encouraging less harmful farming methods? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (12 March 1998) The Commission is aware that many agricultural and rural areas of the Community, particularly in the south, are threatened by soil erosion and that special measures are needed to encourage soil retention and reduce erosion. The following Community aid schemes are already being used for this purpose. One of the measures accompanying the reform of the common agricultural policy, Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June 1992 (1), concerns methods of agricultural production compatible with the requirements of environmental protection and maintenance of the countryside in order to avoid the deterioration of the soil. Thus the Spanish programme includes the specific measure Combating erosioní, the Portuguese programme the measure Systems of non-irrigated cereal growingí, which includes cultivation techniques to reduce the effects of erosion, and the measures in the Italian programmes cover various methods, techniques and codes of agricultural practice for soil conservation. In addition, Council Regulation (EEC) No 2080/92 of 30 June 19921 contains measures for the afforestation of arable land and to improve wooded areas on farms. Particularly in Spain, these measures can constitute an important instrument for the conservation of the soil and the balance of water in the soil. Of the 500 000 hectares of wooded area on 30 April 1996, more than half was in the southern Member States, including 238 000 hectares in Spain,. The Community support frameworks for the Objective 1 regions and single programming documents for the Objective 5(b) areas include part-financing from the Structural Funds for measures to combat erosion and desertification proposed by the Member States, in particular in the Mediterranean regions. Thus, 15% of the contribution of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund › Guidance Section for part-financing Objective 1 in Spain is allocated to the measures to combat erosion. The expenditure envisaged for 1994-99 is ECU 450 million. In addition, the Cohesion Fund part-finances projects to improve the environment by reducing erosion. The amount paid to Spain and Portugal in 1993-95 was ECU 202 million. (1) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992