WRITTEN QUESTION E-1039/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Social and economic measures to reduce the pig population in Flanders.
18. 4. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 113 E/3 Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (8 May 2000) The Commission is aware of the Vuotos power plant and artificial lake project for which the Water Court in Northern Finland has recently (29 February 2000) granted a construction permit. According to the information in the press, the decision will be subject to appeals. Although projects such as this in principle fall under Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1), Member States are not obliged under this Directive to cover projects for which consent procedures have been initiated before the deadline of implementation which was 1 January 1995 for Finland (see case C-362/92, Bund Naturschutz in Bayern, paragraph 19, and C-431/92 Commission v. Germany, paragraph 29). The application for the Vuotos project was lodged in 1992. The Finnish authorities have informed the Commission that the Finnish Act of Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures excludes projects for which public hearing has been carried out before 14 January 1994, such as the Vuotos project. In any event, the environment impacts of nutrients and heavy metals arising from the project have been assessed in the context of the permit procedure under the Finnish Water Act. The decision granting the construction permit analyses the estimated effects of the artificial lake on the water quality and fish in the artificial lake itself, in the river Kemijoki and in the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia. It is estimated that the water quality and recreational fishing will be disturbed, among others, by increased level of nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, but that the effects will concentrate on the artificial lake itself and on the river downstream, being relatively minor in the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia. Further, it is estimated that the levels of mercury in certain fish species (pike, perch, burbot) will during the first 8-15 years after the construction increase considerably (over 1 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) in the artificial lake itself, significantly (between 0,5 and 1,0 mg/kg) in the Kemijoki river, but in a lesser degree in the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia. The Water Court pointed out that the health damage can be avoided by monitoring and informing the public about the situation. Further, it was estimated on the basis of the studies carried out that it is unlikely that the mobilisation of other heavy metals would have effects similar to the mobilisation of mercury. The Water Court ordered the applicant to assess further and monitor the effects on fisheries and fish. According to the information the Commission has received from the Finnish authorities, Finland has during the permit procedure informed the competent Swedish authorities about the estimated environ- mental effects of the project in the Swedish side. Accordingly as at presently informed, the Commission does not have any reason to take measures concerning the environmental impact assessment procedures carried out in this project. The Commission will continue to follow the on-going procedures at the national level. (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985. (2001/C 113 E/004) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1039/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (4 April 2000) Subject: Social and economic measures to reduce the pig population in Flanders In late February Mrs Margot Wallström, Commissioner with responsibility for the environment, said in her answer to written question E-2686/99 (1) that she was aware of the serious problems facing the Flemish Region because of the presence of considerable quantities of phosphorous and nitrogen. C 113 E/4 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 4. 2001 The high concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen come from chemical fertilisers and natural fertiliser from stockbreeding. Mrs Wallström said that these excessive quantities are the cause of widespread pollution of the groundwater, as witness the reports of the Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij (Flemish Environ- mental Society), and eutrophication of most surface water. They are also a factor in eutrophication of the North Sea. The feeling is gradually gaining ground in Flanders that there are too many pigs in relation to agricultural land to dispose of the fertiliser without endangering humans and the environment. The pig population is currently in the order of 8 million. In 1992 there were 6 545 000 pigs and only five years later the number had risen to 7 367 653. The question therefore needs to be raised ü and answered ü as to whether it would not be advisable to opt for social and economic measures to reduce the pig population. In view of the serious nature of the problem and the fact that the nitrates directive takes precedence over the European market regulation for pigmeat, can European funds be used to (partially) finance a reduction in the pig population in Flanders? If so, within what legislative and financial framework are social and economic measures to cut the pig population possible? If not, is the Commission prepared to create a legislative and financial framework for social and economic measures to reduce the pig population? (1) OJ C 280 E, 3. 10. 2000, p. 103. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (14 June 2000) The question of reducing the pig population in Flanders and possible socio-economic flanking measures needs examination from several angles: the common market organisation (CMO), rural development and Structural Funds policy, and national aid schemes. The CMO for pigmeat makes no provision for reducing the pig population in Member States. Producers carry full responsibility for the number of pigs on their farm. This goes for any increase in herd size or any reduction necessary pursuant to Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (1). The Community cannot therefore under the CMO provisions contribute to financing any reduction in the Flemish pig population needed for compliance with the requirements stemming from the Directive. Obviously, however, producers are not necessarily free to do whatever they wish that is not prohibited under the CMO. They must comply with all standards and requirements stemming from Community, national or regional legislation other than that lying within the CMO ambit, and this may directly or indirectly affect the number of animals that can be kept on the farm. As far as reduction of the pig population through permanent cessation of farming is concerned, Council Regulation (EEC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations (2) provides for Community aid for early retirement. National aid for non-reversible cessation of livestock farming is also possible under the Guidelines for State aid in the agriculture sector (3). Flanders has not so far formally proposed either of these aids. For farms meeting at least the minimum environmental, health and animal welfare standards, Community financing is also possible under Regulation (EEC) No 1257/1999 for agri-environmental measures such as conversion to organic farming and extensification. Both are included in the Flemish rural development plan for 2000-2006, now under examination by the Commission with adoption expected this autumn. 18. 4. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 113 E/5 The reduction of animal herds is not, however, eligible for Community financing if the number of animals on the farm exceeds the limit set by Directive 91/676/EEC. In vulnerable zones this corresponds, per hectare, to an amount of manure containing 170 kg N. For a number of sectors including pigmeat, the Flemish rural development plan also includes investment aid (for farms meeting the above minimum requirements) for diversification primarily to boost sustainable farming and raise incomes. This measure could also be used to restructure pig farming. Lastly, the Structural Funds (Council Regulation (EC) No 1620/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (4)) can be used to give assistance in Objective 2 zones and are the Community instruments par excellence in regions requiring support for socio-economic conversion. The Structural Fund provisions for 2000-2006 include Community support for rural areas threatened by serious structural problems in agriculture. Flanders has not however included in its Objective 2 zones rural areas where the situation of pig farming calls for restructuring. (1) OJ L 375, 31. 12. 1991. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (3) OJ C 28, 1. 2. 2000. (4) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999. (2001/C 113 E/005) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1259/00 by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission Subject: Imports of environmentally friendly cars (19 April 2000) The EUís legislation on the introduction of stringent emission standards for new cars in the year 2005 explicitly calls on the governments of the fifteen Member States not to wait until 2005, but to give temporary tax concessions to cleaner fuels and more environmentally friendly cars which already satisfy the stringent 2005 standards. A number of Member States have already started with such measures. Can the Commission provide details of this? Is the Commission itself prepared to make proposals for introducing a similar temporary tax concession with regard to the import duty on environmentally friendly cars from third countries which already satisfy the standards for 2005? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (19 June 2000) In the Commissionís view economic incentives can play an important role in encouraging the introduction of more advanced fuels or vehicles with better environmental performances. Tax differentiation is an important instrument in order to promote an early introduction of vehicles that meet future mandatory standards. Furthermore a voluntary concept of so called enhanced environmentally friendly vehicles (EEV) is introduced in Directive 1999/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Council Directive 88/77/EEC (1) towards which Member States may use economic incentives. The Commission is currently examining the possibilities of presenting a similar concept for light vehicles