WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3023/98 by Sérgio RIBEIRO Harmful environmental effects stemming from Community financial support (Cerâmica do Olival at Olival/Ourém and Preceram at Travasso/Pombal, Portugal) (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
C 289/20 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 11. 10. 1999 (1999/C 289/026) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3023/98 by Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Harmful environmental effects stemming from Community financial support (Cerâmica do Olival at Olival/Ourém and Preceram at Travasso/Pombal, Portugal) In two towns within the same region, although not very close to one another (Olival/Ourém and Travasso/ Pombal), there used to be, some years ago, two ceramics factories which were regarded by the local people as part of their living and working environment. Access to Community funds enabled the two factories + Cerâmica do Olival and Preceram + to implement modernisation programmes. However, what could (and, indeed, began to) be regarded as something beneficial (including by the local people) had an extremely harmful effect on the environment, apparently because of a new type of fuel being used. Plant life and agricultural produce were damaged over several successive years and many people felt that their health was suffering. The response to this state of affairs took many different forms: local people demonstrated and protested to official bodies and even to the author of this question, who was able to experience the situation for himself in the towns concerned. Those people are now feeling a degree of despair at the futility of their efforts and at the fact that the situation (particularly as regards public health) has not been remedied and is even getting worse. What was once regarded as a benefit (the Community funding provided) is now being blamed for the problems which have arisen. Is the Commission aware of this issue? Did it express any opinion regarding the projects and has it (or had it) any control over the use of the funds, with particular regard to the environmental implications thereof? Supplementary answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (11 January 1999) The Commission has now received the following information from the Portuguese authorities which manage the programmes co-financed by the European regional development fund (ERDF) which included the two projects mentioned by the Honourable Member. Concerning the firm Preceram, complaints are under investigation by the ministry of the Environment about emissions into the air from a factory belonging to the firm. A visit organised by the Portuguese Directorate General for the Environment on 17 September 1998 received a report prepared by the ‘Centro da Biomassa para a energia’ concerning the characteristics of the gaseous emissions. That report showed that there were excessive emissions of particles and compounds of inorganic fluorides. After the report has been officially transmitted, the firm must communicate to the ministry of the Environment the measures taken to eliminate the causes of the emissions. It will do this in the framework of the ‘Contract on environmental adaptation in the ceramics industry’. Concerning the firm ‘Cerâmica de Oliveira Santos & Santos’, a study carried out in June 1997 for the ministry of the Environment by the ‘Centro technológico da cerâmica e do vidro’ showed that the limit values for the emission of sulphur dioxide fluorides and lead were respected but not the limit values for particles. Thus the firm had to install a filter system to lower the levels of particle emission. This system was installed and a new study showed that the emission standards were now respected. Analyses will be carried out every six months. The Commission does not give an opinion on individual projects benefiting from public aid schemes co- financed by the ERDF unless there are very exceptional circumstances. The Commission is regularly informed in the relevant programme monitoring committees on the respect of Community policies, including environmental policy, in the execution of co-financed aid schemes. In case of non-respect of Community legislation it can declare expenditure on specific projects ineligible