91998E3046

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3046/98

by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) , Joaquim Miranda (GUE/NGL) and Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 October 1998)

Subject: Spanish hydrological plan

The Spanish press reports that the government has submitted a hydrological mini-plan worth 216 000 million pesetas (approximately 260 000 million escudos) to parliament for urgent approval so as to allow community co-funding be sought.

Amongst the construction projects involved in this mini-plan is the extension of the channel diverting water between the rivers Tagus and Segura, construction of which has not yet begun.

The Tagus is an international river, and the carrying out of work affecting this water course - and specifically, diverting it - should be subject to prior discussion and agreement with the other countries concerned, name Portugal. Furthermore, works of this kind require in-depth environmental impact assessment, and according to the Spanish place no such studies have been carried out.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Has the Spanish government already submitted its request for co-funding for the work on extendedly channel between the Tagus and Segura?

2. Is it going to accept this request for funding, without the project's having passed an environmental impact assessment and without the Portuguese government's having accepted that this channel should be built?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 1998)

To date, the Commission has not received a request from the Spanish authorities for part-financing in connection with these works. If they are to be part-financed by the Community in due course, the Commission will be ensuring that the rules on eligibility and combination of funding are fully complied with, as well as all the legal provisions relating to the environment or arising from international obligations such as under the joint management of cross-border river basins.