WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1533/98 by Panayotis LAMBRIAS to the Commission. Destruction of 'Nature 2000' biotope at Pieria
5. 2. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 31/39 Since in these regions the importance of the agricultural sector is obvious, special arrangements for the supply of basic or processed agricultural products were adopted, as well as justified exemptions from the rules of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and aid supplements, in order to consolidate or develop agriculture. Aware of the fact that, despite this aid, remoteness and insularity always constitute an additional cost, the Commission started a debate relating to all sectors in these regions, including agriculture. With Agenda 2000 (1), the Commission stressed in particular simplification in the granting of aid both in the agricultural field and in other sectors of activity (CAP and Structural Funds) for all the regions of the Community. Moreover, the situation of the most remote regions will be taken specifically into account under the Structural Funds. Indeed, these regions will be classified, independently of the criterion adopted for the other less-developed regions, in Objective 1. Taking account therefore of the proposals contained in Agenda 2000, and in the light of Article 299 of the Treaty of Amsterdam (new drafting of Article 227 of the EC Treaty), the debate undertaken within the Commission should make it possible, with the experience of almost 10 years of special programmes, to draw up proposals for these regions in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity. (1) COM(97) 2000. (1999/C 31/048) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1410/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Opening of a quarry in Pieria (11 May 1998) With the consent of the local government authorities, a private company is about to open a marble quarry in the Pieria mountains at a place known as Kteni-Koutoulos, more or less in the centre of the area marked out for proposed inclusion in the Natura 2000 network, coded GR-1250002. In June 1995, when the area had already been proposed for inclusion in the network, a licence was granted to prospect for marble over an area of some 5. 5 hectares and to open a quarry on a 26-year lease without prior planning permission being obtained. The opening of the quarry directly affects the communities of Vria, Ritini and Elatokhorio, the population of which (approximately 2500) is dependent on tobacco-growing as their only source of income. Moreover, at the request of the community of Vria, the ancient quarry located in the vicinity is to be designated an archaeological site and included, together with a number of other projects, in the Leader 2 Programme so that the area can become a centre for mountain environmental tourism. What is the Commissionís view of the forthcoming opening of a quarry in this area which forms part of Natura 2000 and is protected under Directive 92/43/EEC (1)? How does it justify the investment in tourism through the Leader programme if, at the same time, a quarry is being opened which will bring about considerable changes to the landscape and what contribution will it make, in consultation with the relevant Greek authorities, towards revising the plan to open a quarry? (1) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992, p. 7. (1999/C 31/049) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1533/98 by Panayotis Lambrias (PPE) to the Commission (18 May 1998) Subject: Destruction of Nature 2000í biotope at Pieria Three communities in the Pieria area claim that a biotope in the Pieria mountains is at risk of being destroyed by the opening of a marble quarry. Moreover, the Greek authorities have nominated the same area for inclusion in the Nature 2000í network, code GR-1250002, pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC (1)