WRITTEN QUESTION E-0318/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Mining and exploitation of gold deposits on the Island of Milos.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/121 the European Union is self-sufficient as regards the production of olive oil. Despite this, the same document draws attention to the fact that the European Union is importing olive oil on preferential terms, mainly from Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey. Will the Commission give the precise amounts of olive oil imported from the above three countries and indeed from any other Mediterranean countries and state why olive oil is being imported from outside the EU, and notably on preferential terms, given that the Union not only covers its needs through domestic production of olive oil, but actually produces a surplus of 107,2 %, according to 1996 data which are quoted by the above document? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (17 March 2000) Overall, the Community appears self-sufficient as regards production of olive oil. However, in many years the Community has to import to meet the demand for olive oil both at home and on the world market. Moreover, operators use olive oils from non-member countries for certain types of cutting of olive oils. Concerning preferential imports, the Community has committed itself to importing certain quantities of olive oil from the Mediterranean countries. The principal concession concerns Tunisia with 46 000 tonnes of olive oil at reduced duties (EUR 7,81/100 kg instead of the normal customs duty of about EUR 140/100 kg), while Morocco, Lebanon and Algeria were allotted concessions in the form of a reduction of the rate of EUR 0,7245/100 kg. In the case of Turkey, the reduction in the customs duty on virgin olive oil is 10 % and on refined olive oil 5 %. In the marketing years 1996/97 to 1998/99, total imports in tonnes from these countries were (1): Tunisia Turkey Lebanon Morocco Algeria 1996/1997 1997/1998 1998/1999 45 150,7 46 305 46 028 45,9 13,5 17 0 31,5 3,8 56,2 0 107,4 5,0 0,9 0 (1) Imports do not include quantities imported and re-exported under the inward processing arrangement. (2000/C 330 E/135) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0318/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (11 February 2000) Subject: Mining and exploitation of gold deposits on the Island of Milos The company Midas Ltd. is planning to prospect for gold by drilling over an area of 17 760 000 m2 at Profitis Ilias, Chondro Vouno, Koumaria, Kalamavros and Ralaki in the municipality of Milos, a large part of which has been proposed for inclusion in the Natura 2000 programme. Investments of this kind do not have a very positive track record internationally: a similar gold mining project at Pergamon in Turkey foundered owing to the resistance of the local population who even involved the European Parliament, and the artificial lakes of toxic waste which are the by-product of such investments pose a threat to the environment (for instance, the Doæana National Park in Spain). In the case of Milos the overwhelming majority of the social and professional bodies on the island are strongly opposed to the project and are calling for an immediate suspension of operations by Midas Ltd. C 330 E/122 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 The use of cyanide in processing the gold ore and the highly toxic residues produced by investments of this kind constitute a threat to public health and the environment, the ground water and the entire region, and there is also a risk of marine pollution. Given that the Greek Aegean islands are facing increasing water supply problems, and the Community has co-funded substantive infrastructures aimed at solving these problems and indeed shown particular concern by taking special measures; Greece has been found by the European Court of Justice to be in breach of Article 7 of Directive 76/464/ EEC (1) on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community and Directive 92/43/EEC (2) on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; The environmental impact assessment has been rejected by the Prefectural Council of the Cyclades; Will the Commission say what measures it intends to take to prevail upon the relevant Greek authorities to put an end to the above operations which on the one hand are in breach of Community environmental legislation and pose a threat to public health and on the other are clearly at odds with the EU policy on a European integrated coastal zone strategy? (1) OJ L 129, 18. 5. 1976, p. 23. (2) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992, p. 5. Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (23 March 2000) The areas of Profitis Iliasí on the island of Milos, as well as the Western Coast of Milosí, are included in the list of sites of Community importance proposed by Greece, by virtue of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. In view of the future inclusion of these sites in the Natura 2000 network, any activities which could seriously affect their conservation value should be avoided. The project planned by the company Midas is included in Annex II of Council Directive 85/337/EC of 27 June 1985 as modified by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1). According to Article 4, Member States have the obligation to determine whether the project shall be the subject of an environmental assessment. The latter Directive is not yet transposed in Greece. The Commission would like to thank the Honourable Member for the information given about the activities of this company. In order to investigate the issue, a letter will be sent to the Greek authorities requesting information. Concerning the Court decisions mentioned, the Commission would inform the Honourable Member that Directive 92/43/EEC has been transposed in Greece by ministerial decision number 33318/3028/1998. Concerning the Court decision dated 11 June 1998 about the failure of Greece to establish programmes including quality objectives for dangerous substances within List II of Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community, for the waters of the Gulf of Pagasai and those of Lake Vegoritis, the Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to the Greek authorities on the basis of Article 228 (ex-Article 171) of the EC Treaty. (1) OJ L 73, 14. 3. 1997