WRITTEN QUESTION E-0243/00 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Building of car parks at Piazza Vescovio and Via Moricone in Rome.
C 330 E/108 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 (2000/C 330 E/120) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0237/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Enforcement of inspection for ships What measures have been taken to ensure that all Member States are meeting their commitments under Article 5 of Council Directive 95/21/EC (1) of 19 June 1995 to ensure that at least 25 % of the ships entering their ports are inspected, and are there any plans to increase the number of structural inspections of ships, especially of those registered under a flag state with a poor record in meeting its international obligations in this area? (1) OJ L 157, 7. 7. 1995, p. 1. Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (22 March 2000) The Commission is monitoring Member Statesí efforts to meet their commitments regarding the inspection of ships. Compliance with the requirement of at least 25 % laid down in Council Directive 95/21/EC of 19 June 1995 concerning the enforcement, in respect of shipping using Community ports and sailing in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Member States, of international standards for ship safety, pollution prevention and shipboard living and working conditions (port state control) (1), cannot be assessed until the Directive has been transposed into national law and been in force for at least a year. Delays in the transposition of the Directive have also held up the assessment. The provisions of Directive 95/21/EC have now been tranposed into national law by all the Member States except Italy on 24 November 1999. Fresh infringement proceedings have been brought against this Member State for failing to comply with the Courtís judgment. Justice ruled against Italy. The Court of The Commission has noted that, on the whole, the requirement of at least 25 % is being met in the Community. However, it also noted that in 1999 some Member States were significantly below this figure. If this continues in 2000, it intends to bring infringement proceedings against those Member States whose competent authority does not carry out a total number of inspections corresponding to at least 25 % of the number of individual ships which enter their ports during a representative calendar year under the conditions laid down in Article 5 of Directive 95/21/EC. Generally, the Commission takes the view that the Erika disaster has drawn attention to the need for more thorough inspections in Community ports. It is preparing a draft communication on the safety of oil tankers, which includes inter alia a proposal amending Directive 95/21/EC on port state control. The measures planned will take account of the flag Statesí safety record and the need to pay greater attention to structural aspects. (1) OJ L 157, 7. 7. 1995. (2000/C 330 E/121) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0243/00 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Building of car parks at Piazza Vescovio and Via Moricone in Rome The Rome local authorities have started building two large car parks, one in Piazza Vescovio, with 92 spaces, and another in Via Moricone, with around 100 spaces. The areas concerned are geologically unstable because of the existence of caves, catacombs, old pozzolana pits and underground waters and therefore pose a potential danger to residents and to many buildings in the area. In addition, Piazza Vescovio has recently been undergoing renovation work. 21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/109 The nature of the work, which is likely to last at least 16 months, will make living conditions difficult in the whole district. The scale of the work and the possible consequences deriving from the nature of the terrain would suggest that the project ought to be subject to a detailed environment impact assessment, as provided for in Directive 85/337/EEC (1). This would seem to be confirmed by the letter of 25 March 1997 from Commissioner Enthoven to Ambassador Cavalchini, stressing the need for an environmental impact assessment for a project similar to this one. The permission to use public land granted solely to the purchasers of the parking spaces also suggests that there may be an infringement of the rights of citizens, who will not be entitled to use the land for the 90-year period laid down and will thus be deprived of their right to make use of a public asset. In the light of the above: 1. Does the Commission think that this project should be subject to an environmental impact assessment? 2. Does it think that the work should be allowed to go ahead only after consultation of local residents, as provided for in Directive 85/337/EEC? 3. Are there any directives governing the possible abuse represented by these car parks, which restrict public use of a public asset? 4. What are its general views on the matter? (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (13 March 2000) The Honourable Member is invited to refer to the Commissionís answer to her Written Question E-2858/99 (1). Consultation of local residents is only required if the works are subject to an environmental impact 1. procedure. The Commission is not aware of any Community directive concerning the restriction of public use of 2. a public asset. 3. Not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it and to ensure the observance of Community law. (1) OJ C 303 E, 24. 10. 2000, p. 120. (2000/C 330 E/122) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0244/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Removal of the Greek tobacco variety Katerinií from Italyís register of Community tobacco varieties Regulation 660/99 (1) permitted the transfer to Italy of a quota of the Greek tobacco variety Katerinií (500 tonnes for 1999, 1500 tonnes for 2000 and 2001) without providing any justification, despite the objections raised by Greece. Regulation 1373/99 (2) permitted Italy, again without any justification, to transfer quantities of the variety Katerinií to other groups of varieties, thereby restricting production of Katerinií in Italy to 48 tonnes. After the total failure of this attempt to transfer the Greek variety Katerinií to Italy, does the Commission intend to remove it from Italyís register of Community varieties for the marketing years 2000 and 2001? (1) OJ L 83, 27. 3. 1999, p. 10. (2) OJ L 162, 26. 6. 1999, p. 47