WRITTEN QUESTION E-1426/99 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission. EU funds for the Krsko nuclear power station in Slovenia.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/1 I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER (2000/C 219 E/001) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1426/99 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: EU funds for the Krsko nuclear power station in Slovenia Austria has always led the way as regards the goal of a nuclear-free Central Europe. The country is, however, surrounded by nuclear power stations. As these fail, in many cases, to meet the required safety standards, it is vital to Austria that they are decommissioned. 1. 2. 3. 4. Does the Krsko nuclear power station receive, or has it received, any form of EU financial assistance? If so, what is the amount of such assistance? In what form is such assistance granted (direct investments or loans)? Under what programmes is such assistance granted? Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission (22 October 1999) The safety of nuclear power plants in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) is one of the main priorities of the Commission. This has been clearly underlined in the Agenda 2000 and in the Commission communication to the Council and to the Parliament of March 1998 (1). In both documents, the CEEC nuclear installations are classified in three categories: reactors of Western design, reactors of Soviet design considered upgradable and reactors of Soviet design considered non-upgradable. The Krsko nuclear power plant belongs to the first category. For this category, the March 1998 communication of the Commission establishes that the main objective is to ensure that the reactors remain at a high safety level over the long run. In addition, the Council has, in its conclusions on nuclear safety in the context of the enlargement of the Union of 7 December 1998, asked the Commission to continue to co-operate, for example within the context of the Phare programme, to help improve nuclear safety in the candidate states. In particular, the Commission has been asked to promote through co-operation, the development of technically competent, adequately resourced and fully independent nuclear safety authorities. Following this line, support is currently being provided to the Krsko nuclear plant in the framework of the Phare programme. An amount of € 500 000 has been allocated to carry out a seismic analysis of the Krsko site. The project is currently on-going and first results are expected by the end of the present year. C 219 E/2 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Furthermore, also in the framework of the Phare programme, more than € 1 million have been allocated to support the nuclear security authority in Slovenia, notably to transfer methodologies and procedures from Community nuclear safety regulators. A technical support to the Slovenian nuclear safety authority to review the results of the seismic analysis of the Krsko plant is also foreseen. (1) COM(98) 134 final. (2000/C 219 E/002) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1451/99 by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Financing of projects in Ischia (Italy) Three projects on Ischia ü two in the port of Ischia and one to do with the untapped medicinal spring of Nitrodi outside the town of Ischia ü are to be supported by the European Union. Construction has not yet started. 1. In what form are these projects being supported by the European Union? 2. How is the overfall financing being planned and what system will be used for the breakdown of funding between the EU and the region? 3. What is the timescale envisaged for completion of these projects? Supplementary answer by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (21 December 1999) According to information from the Italian authorities, these projects are being part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the operational programme Development of sustainable tourism in the Objective 1 regionsí for the current programming period 1994-1999. Implementation of the programme is the responsibility of the department of Tourism, which reports to the Prime Ministerís Office. The Community is contributing 50 % of the total cost of the works for each project, the final date for the commitment of resources is 31 December 1999 and the final date for payments is 31 December 2001. Part-financing for the four projects concerning the port of Ischia totals EUR 2,5 million (ITL 4 882 million) and that for development of the spa at Nitrodi totals EUR 691 000 (ITL 1 337 million). Work on these projects should be complete by December 2000. (2000/C 219 E/003) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1453/99 by Christa Klaß (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Commission supply contracts in the area of internal logistics The Commission is making efforts to cut costs for the provision of materials in the internal sector, essentially through the centralised selection of a number of large suppliers and by concluding long-term contracts. Is the Commission aware that this results in small, and medium-sized enterprises being excluded from the award of contents and new firms having little prospect of being considered for future contracts