WRITTEN QUESTION E-2414/99 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Illegal burial of toxic waste.
3. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 280 E/43 (2000/C 280 E/041) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2407/99 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Esperanto Has the Commission undertaken any studies on the use of Esperanto across the Union? Does it feel that there is any place for Esperanto as a tool for creating cohesion between the present and future European Union nations, and is Esperanto included in any of the current EU language schemes? Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (10 February 2000) Respect for cultural and linguistic diversity is a crucial element of European integration. Promoting better knowledge and understanding of the cultures and languages of other Europeans is therefore of particular importance. Languages will continue in future to be the key to knowing others. Esperanto does not feature in the Communityís programmes on education and vocational training. The aim of these programmes is to promote linguistic diversity with a view to granting equal status to each of the Unionís languages. It is therefore necessary to vary language teaching and language use in order to enable all Europeans to experience the cultural wealth that is embedded in the EUís linguistic diversity. (2000/C 280 E/042) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2414/99 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Illegal burial of toxic waste Residents and organisations in the general area of the Gulf of Yera on the island of Lesbos complain that the firm Mamidakis has been illegally operating its storage facilities in the Skala Loutron region for the past two years, since the State Councilís decision of 10 November 1997. The issue of illegal burial of fuel tank waste by Mamidakis has also come to light recently. Under Joint Ministerial Decision 72751/3064/84 this waste is classified as toxic and dangerous. For many years, in fact, waste from tank-cleaning in the Mamidakis storage facilities in the Skala Loutron region was illegally buried in a ditch approximately five metres deep, despite the fact that according to the environmental impact study the waste from tanks was supposed to be stored in a specially covered area, in drums marked Dangerí, until it was transferred to other locations outside Lesbos that are provided for toxic and dangerous waste. It should also be noted that the petroleum products firm operates its storage facilities entirely inside the residential area of Skala Loutron, and that the safety distances fixed by law are not adhered to, entailing a risk of explosion or escape of toxic substances in the event of an accident. Since the Gulf of Yera forms a sensitive terrestrial and marine ecosystem of great ecological value, incompatible with the operation of fuel storage facilities, and since the illegal burial of waste has substantial effects on the water table and, more generally, on the areaís environment, does the Commission consider that the above-mentioned practices on the part of Mamidakis constitute a breach of the relevant Community legislation, sufficient to warrant starting proceedings in the Court of Justice? C 280 E/44 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 3. 10. 2000 What financial penalties does the Commission intend to impose on the competent Greek authorities who have not yet complied with the Courtís decision on their failure to observe Article 7 of Directive 76/464 (1) on pollution caused to the aquatic environment by certain dangerous substances? (1) OJ L 129, 18. 5. 1976, p. 23. Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (31 January 2000) The Commission did not have any information on the operation of the Mamidakis companyís plant in the Gulf of Yera area on the island of Lesbos. Following the Honourable Memberís question, the Commission will ask the Greek authorities for details of how this plant operates, and how the dangerous waste is stored. With regard to the judgment of the Court of Justice of 11 June 1998 which found that Greece had failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 7 of Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain dangerous subtances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community, by failing to establish programmes including quality objectives and setting deadlines for their implementation to reduce the pollution of Lake Vegorrítis, the river Soulos and the Gulf of Pagasaí by the dangerous substances on List II of the Directive, the Commission sent Greece a letter of formal notice on 18 December 1999 on the basis of Article 228 (ex Article 171) of the EC Treaty. The Greek authorities replied on 23 March 1999 and 16 September 1999, notifying a set of measures taken to comply with the aforesaid judgment. The relevant documents are now being examined. In addition, the Commission, noting Greeceís general failure to establish programmes which include quality objectives and set deadlines for their implementation to reduce the pollution of water by substances on List II of Directive 76/464/EEC, brought the matter before the Court of Justice on 11 November 1997. The Court has not yet delivered its judgment. (2000/C 280 E/043) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2420/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Providing a scaled-down military structure for the EU (16 December 1999) During the recent third round of Franco-Spanish strategic talks, both countries stated their wish to see the EU equipped with a scaled-down military structure which would enable it to react quickly to crises such as that in Kosovo. This structure could take the shape of an ambassadorial-level Policy and Security Committee, a high command and a headquarters whose remit would be to plan and carry out military operations. How does the Commission, given its powers of initiative, regard the Franco-Spanish view of the basic nucleus on which Europeís ísecurity and defence identityí might be built up? Will it support the position of Spain and France? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (18 January 2000) The Franco-Spanish talks focussed on issues concerning military and non-military aspects of crisis management, for Petersberg tasks. As the Honourable Member will know these issues discussed extensively in the Council in the period leading up to the Helsinki European Council. i. e