WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279/00 by Emmanouil Mastorakis (PSE) to the Commission. Development of island regions.
C 113 E/6 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 4. 2001 As far as motor fuels are concerned the Commission proposal adopted in 1997, restructuring the Community system of taxation of energy products (2), allows Member States to apply differentiated rates of energy taxation based on the quality of fuels without formal Commission or Council approval, provided that they comply with the minimum level of taxation set out in the proposal. This proposal is in line with the auto oil directives (Directive 98/69/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directive 70/220/EEC (3) and Directive 98/70/EC of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/ 12/EEC) (3), but it is still under discussion by the Council. the Parliament and of As far as indirect taxation on motor vehicles is concerned, so far there is little Community legislation or harmonisation of national fiscal provisions applied by the Member States. Approximation of vehicle taxation levels proved very difficult to achieve due to the unanimity rule needed for decisions on fiscal matters. The Commission intends to present a communication on vehicle taxation, in order to launch a discussion with Member States and other Community institutions on future options for action at Community and national levels, including the issue of incentives to promote more advanced fuels or more environment friendly cars. Finally, concerning possible temporary concessions to import duties on environmentally friendly cars, it should be pointed out that such measures must respect the Communityís obligations in the World Trade Organisation. It would, therefore, be most appropriate to explore such possibilities with the Communityís trading partners. Any modification of relevant duty rates is an option which could be explored together with Member States in the context of the preparation for a new and comprehensive round of trade negotiations. (1) OJ L 44, 16. 2. 2000. (2) COM(97) 30 final. (3) OJ L 350, 28. 12. 1998. (2001/C 113 E/006) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279/00 by Emmanouil Mastorakis (PSE) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Development of island regions Parliament has adopted a resolution on the guidelines for the 2001 budget procedure ü Section III ü Commission (A5-0070/2000 ü the Haug report), paragraph 33 of which, entitled New Policiesí, under- lines the importance of appropriate funding for the areas newly introduced or reinforced by the Amsterdam Treaty, such as the development of island regions. What measures will the Commission take to implement this new policy of developing the island regions? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (15 June 2000) Sardinia, Sicily, all the Greek islands and the outermost regions will be eligible under Objective 1 for the Structural Fundsí 2000-2006 programming period. In addition, as a result of the Commissionís decisions in the case of eleven out of the twelve Member States concerned, a great many islands will be covered by Objective 2 on the basis of the proposals put forward by the national authorities. On 1 July 1999 the Commission approved the guidelines for the Structural Fund programmes for 2000- 2006. They set the Community priorities for the new programming period. Some of these priorities concern very directly the problems facing the island regions: the need to improve access; the use of renewable sources of energy, particularly with reference to the White Paper for a Community strategy and 18. 4. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 113 E/7 action plan (1); the promotion of new services in the field of new communications technology; the economical management of water resources; and support for a sustainable and high-quality tourist industry, taking capacity into account. Moreover, the guidelines for the Interreg Community initiative, approved by the Commission on 28 April 2000 (2), explicitly state that integration of the island regions is a priority area in the field of transnational cooperation. This means that adequate finance will have to be assigned to these regions. Furthermore, in the context of interregional cooperation, particular attention will be paid to participation by the island regions. Lastly, to take more account of the natural handicaps specific to the small Aegean islands, Council Regulation (EEC) No 2019/93 of 19 July 1993 introducing specific measures for the smaller Aegean islands concerning certain agricultural products (3) provides for specific instruments to assist them. Some islands belong to a special group, known as the outermost regions, which share a set of handicaps defined in Article 299(2) (former Article 227) of the EC Treaty. For these regions, on 14 March 2000 (4), the Commission adopted a report on the implementation of the new Article. (1) COM(97) 599 final. (2) COM(2000) 1101 final. (3) OJ L 184, 27. 7. 1993. (4) COM(2000) 147 final. (2001/C 113 E/007) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1287/00 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission Subject: Serious desertification problems in Valencia (Spain) (19 April 2000) A conference on desertification was recently held in Valencia (Spain), under the auspices of the European Society for Soil Conservation (ESSC). The conclusions reached by the more than 400 scientific experts who participated in the event include the statement that Spain is the country with the highest soil loss risk in all of Europe (60 % of Spainís territory is affected by desertification). In the case of the Valencia region, 40 % of its territory is affected, and 5-7 % of the soil concerned is already lost beyond recall. In a statement by Commissioner Fischler (see reply to question E-1563/95 (1)), the Commission said: The key to effective combating of desertification lies in sensible use of land compatible with environ- mental requirements and rational and cautious use of water resourcesí. A similar intention appears to underlie the preparatory work for the future framework directive on water. At present, however, the following phenomena are occurring in the Valencia region: ü a number of agricultural and planning practices are being followed which are seriously affecting the groundwater levels in areas such as Les Marínes, Marjal de Almenara, Marjal de Peæíscola and Marjal de Pego-Oliva; ü diversion projects are under consideration, e. g. for Xucar-Vinalopó, which will affect the Albufera lake (a protected area under LIFE); ü water pollution from nitrates is increasing thanks to inadequate soil conversion; ü a theme park ( Terra Míticaí) is under construction, the demand for water from which is expected to have the effect by 2002 of doubling the water deficit of a highly drought-prone region; ü a number of golf courses (Peæíscola, Benidorm and Finestrat, Manises) have been created or are projected, with no regard for planning or forecasting in relation to water resources, etc