(2004/C 78 E/0490)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3106/03

by María Bergaz Conesa (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Subject:   The Júcar-Vinalopó water diversion project

The Júcar-Vinalopó water diversion project is a massive scheme (total cost over EUR 50 million) which forms part of the Spanish National Hydrological Plan, and was submitted for Community funding in October 2002. The technical features of the scheme mean that the diverting of water from the Júcar to the Vinalopó is intrinsically linked up with diverting water from the Ebro, a project not yet forwarded to the Commission. The National Hydrological Plan confirms this, by providing for the delivery of 63 hectolitres3 in the vicinity of the Tous dam so as to make the diversion from the Júcar to the Vinalopó possible (see Analysis of the Precedents and Water Transfers Raised by the National Hydrological Plan p. 170).

The scheme is being subjected to detailed analysis by the Commission (DG Environment) from an environmental impact point of view, and the European Investment Bank is carrying out a feasibility study whose results have not been made public.

Independent experts claim that the scheme is neither economically nor environmentally viable, and suffers from major shortcomings from a technical standpoint, such as the absence of a precise, updated and complete environmental impact assessment. The project's shortcomings have been communicated to both Commission and Parliament in the shape of various complaints from citizens, petitions and parliamentary questions.

Despite all this, the Spanish Government is going ahead with the scheme, and intends to continue with the work, by small units and in sections, according to statements by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment. Such haste could conflict with a proper assessment of the Community complaints submitted.

Could the Commission make the content and conclusions of the EIB study available? Does the Commission believe that the project depends, to a substantive degree, on the transfer of waters from the Ebro? Does the Commission intend to ask the Spanish authorities to update the environmental impact assessment, and provide a cost-benefit assessment, as well as compliance with the other requirements applicable to large-scale projects according to Article 26 of the Regulation on the structural funds (Regulation EC No 1260/1999 (1))? Can the Commission confirm whether the Commissioner has reached an undertaking with the Minister responsible for the report to be published before the end of this year?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2003)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that it consulted the European Investment Bank (EIB), within the framework of the cooperation agreement with the EIB and the regulatory provisions, in order to have an independent opinion. The Commission asked the EIB for a technical report on the viability of the Júcar-Vinalopó water diversion project. The EIB presented its report on 1 August 2003. The bank concludes that, subject to specific conditions, the project is viable by itself — independently from implementation of the Ebro water diversion project.

It should be pointed out that the Spanish authorities confirm that the option envisaged in the preliminary draft law on the National Hydrological Plan, namely diverting the Ebro to the Júcar and the latter to the Vinalopó, was ultimately not chosen in the version of the document presented for public information from 20 June to 2 August 2003.

The Commission considers that the information at its disposal, re-examined and supplemented by the EIB technical study, is sufficient at this stage for the project to be successfully evaluated in the light of the Structural Funds' regulatory requirements, including the aspects referred to in Article 26 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (2).

The Commission wishes to add that, in order to supplement that information, the conditions stipulated in the EIB report were examined and then passed on to the Spanish authorities. If other information proves necessary in the course of examining the case, the Commission will request it from the relevant authorities. On 20 October 2003 the Spanish authorities formally responded to the conditions drawn up. The Commission is currently evaluating that response.

The Commission is not aware of a formal commitment to publish the report.

To conclude, this is a complex case still under examination and the Commission has not yet taken a final decision on the application for part-financing.

The Honourable Member should also refer to the supplementary answer given by the Commission to written question No E-0419/03 from Ms Gonzalez Alvarez (3).

(1)  OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

(2)  Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds — OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(3)  OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 28.