WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1730/98 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. European Union involvement in the Araucaria programme
C 13/70 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 The zone in the proximity of the Donana park which was struck by the disaster is eligible for the intervention of the European regional development fund (ERDF) under objective 1. The Commission recently invited the Spanish authorities to reflect on the possibility of modifying the interventions currently co-financed under the ERDF with a view to redirecting any funds released to counter the negative effects of the accident in the zone affected. The Commission has also proposed the co-financing of a technical assistance project aimed at deepening the analysis of the effects of the accident in order to guide Community action in the medium to long term. (1999/C 13/101) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1722/98 by Eolo Parodi (PPE) and Guido Viceconte (PPE) to the Commission Subject: New measures for the road haulage sector (29 May 1998) The Italian Government is preparing to issue measures, in accordance with Law No 454/97 and Bill No 85 of 14 March 1998, to permit a number of road haulage undertakings to double their haulage capacity. Does the Commission not consider that, instead of doubling haulage capacities, the Italian Government 1. should be working towards the regrouping of undertakings, given the present fragmentation of the Italian market? Does it not also consider that such measures run counter to the smooth functioning of the free market, 2. particularly with the prospect of liberalization on 1 July? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (17 July 1998) On 24 April 1997, the Italian authorities notified to the Commission a draft law concerning the restructuring of the road sector and the development of intermodality. On 23 December 1997, this draft was adopted as Law No 454 according to the Italian legislative procedure. The text of the final law was subsequently transmitted to the Commission by letter of 30 January 1998. As the Commission had doubts about the compatibility with the Common Market of the proposed measures, it decided to open a formal investigation under Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty on 25 March 1998. (Commission Decision C/21/98). Since the Honourable Membersí questions refer to an ongoing procedure it is clearly not possible for the Commission to make a full and conclusive response to those questions at this juncture. (1999/C 13/102) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1730/98 by Gerardo FernÆndez-Albor (PPE) to the Commission Subject: European Union involvement in the Araucaria programme (5 June 1998) The coral beds of Los Roques (Venezuela), the island of Coiba (Panama) and the Sonora Desert in Baja California are some of the areas covered by the Araucaria programme, through which the Spanish Government is seeking to meet the commitments made in the Convention on Biological Diversity, signed after the Rio Summit. Spanish investment in various endangered habitats in Latin America over the coming five years will reach 10 billion pesetas, an undertaking which the Spanish Government hopes will benefit from contributions from public and private bodies, the business sector and the governments of the recipient countries