(2004/C 84 E/0312)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3914/03

by Joan Valivé (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 December 2003)

Subject:   Expansion of Palma de Mallorca Airport

Palma de Mallorca's airport, Son Sant Joan, is situated less than 8 km west of the city centre, less than 1 km from the coastal villages of Coll d'en Rabassa, Ca'n Pastilla and S'Arenai and less than 2 km from the villages of Sant Jordi and S'Aranjassa. The airport has two runways, each one 3 km long. The total number of passengers in 2001 was 19,2 million, which is 25 times the entire population of the island of Mallorca.

The majority of the adjacent land to the north and east of the airport is designated a protected rural agricultural and cattle-farming area. Among the countless features of interest in the vicinity of the airport is the aquifer subsystem 77A, found in the plain where the airport is located. This aquifer has a permeability of 160 m2 a day and a water storage coefficient of 6 %.

To the east of the airport are some residual wetlands in good environmental condition, an area of great diversity, with plant species that are very rare on the island's coast (such as wigeongrass — alliance Ruppion maritimae, the common reed — Phragmites australis, and spiny rush — Juncus acutus). Among the species of bird most commonly found near the airport are the shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), the common quail (Coturnix coturnix), the collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and the starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Finally, on the coast, barely 300 metres from the airport, is Es Carnatge des Coll d'en Rabassa, a designated Natural Area of Special Interest (Law 1/84 of the Balearic Parliament), which is of great environmental importance.

One of the decisions to be taken under the master plan adopted in line with the Spanish Ministerial Decree of 5 September 2001 concerns the expansion of the airport in Palma de Mallorca. This expansion affects an area of no less than 596 300 m2, and will therefore have consequences for all the features of the environment described above. Is the Commission aware of this plan for expansion? Does the Commission consider that the extension is based on the precautionary principle and on the principles that preventive action should be taken and that environmental damage should be rectified, in line with Article 174(2) (ex 13 OR) of the ECT? Does the Commission believe an opinion from the European Environment Agency is needed? Does the Commission consider that the plan is compatible with the Drinking Water Directive as regards the aquifer in question? Is the directive on environmental impact assessment for airports with a runway length of more than 2100 metres being observed? Does the Commission know whether the assessment includes a noise impact assessment? Does the plan comply with the Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2004)

Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (1) aims to give competent authorities the information they need in order to make an informed decision on the likely environmental effects of a particular project. It provides for a procedure to assess the environmental effects of all projects of the classes listed in Annexes I and II.

It is hard to be sure from the information given in the question whether the project referred to is covered by Annex I or II of the said Directive.

The Commission is unable to reply to the Honourable Member's questions, it will therefore contact the Spanish authorities to obtain the requisite information.

Regarding the need for an opinion from the European Environment Agency, matters relating to the compliance of particular projects with Community regulations do not fall within its field of competence.

(1)  OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.