WRITTEN QUESTION P-0791/00 by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Early Retirement from Farming Programme.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/155 What measures will the Commission take to ensure that Community rules are complied with and the area is restored to its previous state, before the construction of the quay and the chemical and oil storage tanks in the port of Vilagarcia de Arousa, and to prevent the start or continuation of an operation which would be hazardous and seriously detrimental to fishing, shellfish farming and tourism, which represent the main source of income for people on the estuary and, indeed, throughout Galicia? (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Joint answer to Written Questions P-0790/00 and E-0804/00 given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (5 April 2000) With regard to Council Directive 85/337/EEC (1) of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, it should be noted that Article 2 thereof provides that projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of their nature, size or location must be made subject to an assessment with regard to their effects before authorisation is granted. This provision applies to projects of the classes listed in Annexes I and II to the Directive. As regards the facilities to which the Honourable Member refers, Annex I, point 8 includes trading ports, inland waterways and ports for inland waterway traffic which permit the passage of vessels of over 1 350 tonnes. Annex II, point 10 (d) includes the construction of ports (including fishing harbours) not listed in Annex I. Annex II, point point 6 (c) mentions storage facilities for petroleum, petrochemical and chemical products. Under the terms of Article 4 projects of the classes listed in Annex I must be made subject to an environmental impact assessment. Projects of the classes listed in Annex II must be made subject to an assessment where Member States consider that their characteristics so require. Article 3(1) of Council Directive 97/11/EC (2) of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC provides that Member States must comply with the Directive by 14 March 1999 at the latest. However, under Article 3(2) if a request for authorisation is submitted before 14 March 1999 the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC prior to the amendments continue to apply. It should be noted that the Commission automatically takes action whenever a Member State fails to communicate national implementing measures by the given deadline, under the terms of Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty. As no official communication has been received, a reasoned opinion has just been sent to Spain regarding Directive 97/11/EC. At all events, as guardian of the Treaties the Commission will take the necessary measures to ensure that Community law is complied with in the case in question. With regard to the possibility that the two projects concerned were cofinanced, the Commission has requested information from the Spanish authorities. (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985. (2) OJ L 73, 14. 3. 1997. (2000/C 374 E/184) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0791/00 by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission (9 March 2000) Subject: Early Retirement from Farming Programme The Greek Government has drawn up a table of minimum sizes of agricultural holdings for selecting Greek farmers for inclusion in the Early Retirement from Farming Programmeí under Regulation (EEC) No 2079/92. C 374 E/156 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 The limits set out include: ü for non-irrigated crops: 2,5 hectares ü for tobacco: 0,5 hectares + quota Since many Greek agricultural holdings are in mountain regions, it follows logically that the above minimum areas per farmer are rare exceptions. As a rule, in the mountain regions of Greece very few hectares are used for non-irrigated crops and even fewer for tobacco. The result of this state of affairs is that many farmers who fall within the spirit of the regulation may not be included in the programme because their crops do not cover the minimum area laid down. 1. Does the Commission consider that areas of this kind, which are excessive in the case of large numbers of Greek farmers, are in keeping with the objective of Regulations (EEC) No 2079/92 and (EC) No 1257/1999? 2. Is the Commission prepared to advocate the following criteria, to be applicable only to mountain regions of Greece: 0,5 hectares for non-irrigated crops and a simple quota, irrespective of land area, for tobacco? 3. For the purposes of the application of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, does the Commission propose to collaborate with the Greek Government to ensure that farmers in mountain regions, who are already at a disadvantage, are not put in a worse position through the deficient application in Greece of EU regulations which are supposed to be applied for their benefit? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (6 April 2000) Article 6(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2079/92 (1) stipulates that the size of the agricultural holdings 1. resulting from the transfer of land released by the transferor (i. e. the farmer taking early retirement) must be increased so as to improve their economic viability. The successorís holding must be economically viable. Articles 10 and 11(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 (2) contain the same requirement. The Commission therefore takes the view that granting early retirement aid to a farmer whose holding is too small jeopardises the economic viability of the holding transferred to the successor. 2. That is why the Commission is not prepared to see the minimum size of the transferred holding reduced below an economically viable threshold, account also being taken of the other contributory factors which define this viability concept. The Commission intends to work together with the Greek Government on negotiating the rural 3. development plan which Greece has submitted under Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, in order to determine the implementation requirements for the future early retirement scheme ü including of course the parameters for ensuring the economic viability of agricultural holdings resulting from the transfer of land. (1) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (2000/C 374 E/185) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0793/00 by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 March 2000) Subject: Electricity generation from peat ü public service obligations With reference to the new framework for further restructuring and liberalising the electricity market in Ireland, including the construction of two new peat plants, would the Commission outline the arrange- ments for public service obligations in relation to future electricity generation from peat?