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Document 92003E003931
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal.
OJ C 70E, 20.3.2004, p. 267–267
(ES, DA, DE, EL, EN, FR, IT, NL, PT, FI, SV)
|
20.3.2004 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
CE 70/267 |
(2004/C 70 E/291)
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03
by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission
(16 December 2003)
Subject: Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal
The summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal devastated 410 000 hectares, i.e. 5 % of Portugal's landmass and 12 % of its woodlands, destroying numerous Natura 2000 Network areas, various cork oak, holm oak and oak forests, causing numerous deaths, destroying homes, killing animals and destroying crops in some of the country's most fragile and deprived rural regions.
Support provided under the aegis of the Solidarity Fund, although extremely useful, is nowhere like equal to the enormous task of rehabilitating incalculably valuable natural heritage on this scale, and a rural economy which is under threat of total disappearance.
At the Budgetary Committee meeting which discussed the Solidarity Fund contribution to Portugal, it was claimed that a total of EUR 180 million was going to be reprogrammed from Portuguese Structural Funds to cope with the challenge.
Could the Commission explain:
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1. |
Why amounts programmed for the 2000-2003 Structural Funds, and not yet taken up, cannot be reprogrammed to this end? |
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2. |
Whether the Portuguese authorities have already submitted specific proposals for reprogramming the EUR 180 million, and whether this amount is earmarked for rehabilitating the natural heritage and the rural economy of the areas devastated? |
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3. |
What other means it thinks could be used to support this rehabilitation which, while of direct concern to Portugal, is of no less concern to Europe? |
Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission
(14 January 2004)
The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible.