92002E0537

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0537/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2002)

Subject: Illegal buildings in Greece

The Minister for the Aegean, Mr Sifounakis, recently visited the islands of the Cyclades where he made speeches urging the inhabitants not to erect buildings without planning permission. 21 years have already passed since his party came to power and it has remained in government continuously except for one short break, a period marked by the erection of thousands of illegal buildings which have caused irreparable damage to the natural environment in Greece. The architectural monstrosities built during this period are an insult to Greece's cultural traditions.

Is the Commission aware of the unimaginable degradation and deterioration which the cultural and natural environment in Greece have suffered in recent years? Does it have information on illegal building in the other 14 Member States? Have other Member States encountered similar problems to Greece and managed to resolve them, unlike the Greek Government which yields to short-term party political gain and damages the environment and the architectural heritage?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2002)

The illegal buildings referred to by the Honourable Member would appear to be private dwellings built without planning permission. However, the failure of local authorities to properly apply Greek legislation on urban building is outside the scope of Community environmental law.

Moreover, as the construction projects in question are not included among the projects listed in Annexes I and II to 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), as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997(2), this Directive does not apply. A further point is that Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment(3) will not apply until 21 July 2004 (deadline for incorporation into national law).

Attention is also drawn to Article 151 of the EC Treaty, according to which the Community is not responsible for harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States in the field of culture, which remains the exclusive competence of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) OJ L 197, 21.7.2001.