92001E2446

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2446/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(11 September 2001)

Subject: Gran Paradiso and Vanoise parks

In the Alpine area, straggling the Valle d'Osta, Piedmont and Savoie regions, is the largest protected area in Western Europe, linking up the Italian national park of Gran Paradiso (the first in Italy, set up in 1922) and the French national park of Vanoise, the first French national park, opened in 1963. A twinning relationship and cooperation have developed since 1972 between the two parks, which have absolutely identical flora and fauna, similar territorial problems within an identical mountain environment. However, what is lacking is a European legal framework which would make it possible to envisage the establishment of a fully-fledged European park, with due respect not just for environmental requirements, but also for the principle of subsidiarity and the rights of the local populations.

What existing or future instruments could, in the Commission's view, be used to create a single Gran Paradiso Vanoise protected area?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(26 October 2001)

The Commission believes that Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora(1) provides, through the establishment of a coherent European ecological network of special areas of conservation, the Natura 2000 network, for the kind of common approach to nature conservation which the Honourable Member feels is needed. The same obligations concerning management of the area from the point of view of nature conservation apply to both sides of the border.

However, even if the Commission supports cross-border cooperation between the management structures of the two nature parks, it cannot, under the EC Treaty, establish a legal framework for supranational land management structures of the kind suggested by the Honourable Member. The Interreg programme is available to support cross-border cooperation and can be used to provide Community financing for the development of a common management approach between contiguous nature parks located in different Member States.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.