WRITTEN QUESTION E-0964/00 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Location of the IUCN Mediterranean office in Málaga.
C 53 E/48 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 2. 2001 Has the Commission considered formulas which could make it possible to reconcile the need to protect the environment with the avoidance of depopulation in the countryside? Does the Commission not believe that, as a matter of fairness, farmers who are prevented from irrigating their land for environmental reasons should receive financial compensation? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (10 May 2000) The new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 seeks to establish a coherent and permanent framework to guarantee the future of rural areas by encouraging the maintenance and creation of employment and by taking account of environmental requirements. The priorities of this development policy are strengthening the agricultural and forestry sector, making rural areas more competitive and preserving the environment and rural assets. The structural measures provided for by Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) (1) include aid for investments on agricultural holdings to preserve the natural environment, compensatory allowances in less-favoured areas or those subject to environmental constraints, agri-environmental aid and support for agricultural and rural activities to protect the environment. With particular regard to the compensatory allowances, Article 16 of the Regulation provides that payments to compensate for costs incurred and income foregone may be made to farmers who are subject to restrictions on agricultural use in areas with environmental restrictions as a result of the implementation of limitations on agricultural use based on Community environmental protection rules, if and in so far as such payments are necessary to solve the specific problems arising from those rules. Such measures should help meet the concerns expressed by the Honourable Member. It is up to the Member State to submit rural development programmes, in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity. In areas, like Aragon, not covered by Objective 1, the Member States may submit rural development programmes which include these various measures for financing under the EAGGF Guarantee Section. Such programmes should in particular describe the situation of the area in question, its specific problems, the strategy proposed and its priorities and the measures which are intended to implement the plans. The Commission is currently considering the proposed rural development programmes submitted by the Spanish authorities on 30 December 1999 with a view to approving them as soon as possible. (1) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999. (2001/C 53 E/055) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0964/00 by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Location of the IUCN Mediterranean office in MÆlaga (29 March 2000) In her reply for the Commission to my question E-2415/99, Commissioner Wallström stated that the Mediterranean regional office of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is located in Seville, rather than, as I maintained, in MÆlaga. I regret to have to contradict Mrs Wallström, but am obliged to point out that this office is indeed located (Andalusia Technology Park). The Commissionís in MÆlaga, information is, therefore, incorrect. in the Parque Tecnológico de Andalucíaí May I ask the Commissioner if, in order to confirm the correctness of my assertion, she or a representative of hers would be willing to pay a visit to the IUCNís Mediterranean regional office, in order to obtain first- hand knowledge of it and contribute to the development of the activities it is planning? 20. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 53 E/49 Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (12 May 2000) The Honourable Member states that the Mediterranean regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) is located in Malaga. While the latest information suggests that the location is likely to be Malaga it remains the Commissionís understanding that to date the IUCN and the Spanish and local authorities are still negotiating the agreement for the opening of the IUCN office for the Mediterranean in Spain and that therefore an office address is not yet officially available. The Member responsible for the environment has no plans to visit any of IUCNís offices in Europe at present. However, even though the Commission is not a member of IUCN, it has regular contacts with the organisation including visiting its offices whenever necessary for furthering several joint initiatives. (2001/C 53 E/056) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0983/00 by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission (31 March 2000) Subject: Safety monitoring by Euratom As long ago as 1988, in a joint resolution on the findings of the Committee of Inquiry on the handling and transport of nuclear material (1), Parliament called for measures áto increase the credibility and effectiveness of the safeguardsí. It called for the Safeguards Directorate to be hived off from Directorate- General XVII (currently part of the TREN DG), responsible for the promotion of nuclear energy, and for an increase in the number of inspectors. In view of the drastic increase in the volume of plutonium handled, in particular in the large reprocessing and MOX fuel element production plants in France and Great Britain, once again it is imperative to know whether Euratom safety monitoring can be carried out at the level required. In the light of Parliamentís resolution in 1988, has the Commission taken steps to safeguard the 1. organisational independence of the Euratom Safeguards Directorate? If so, what steps? If not, why not? 2. What action has the Commission taken to give the Safeguards Directorate sufficient financial and human resources to enable it to cope with the increase in nuclear material that is handled? 3. What other action has the Commission taken to implement Paragraph 7 of the resolution in question? 4. What action is the Commission planning to take in this area in the near future? (1) OJ C 235, 12. 9. 1988, p. 70. Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (5 June 2000) 1. The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the Euratom Safeguards Directorate was transformed in 1999 into an áofficeí which now reports directly to the Vice President of the Commission responsible for Energy and Transport. Administratively, however, the Euratom Safeguards Office continues to be attached to the Directorate general for Energy and Transport. The issue is under review and the Commission is expected to consider a proposal on the matter by mid-2000