Brussels, 07/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Spain's planned hydroelectric programme - which might be eligible for Community co-funding - has a caused a storm of protest among European ecologists who are anxious to warn the European Commission about the scheme. They accuse the programme of not respecting the requirements of EU legislation (the Water Framework Directive that will come into force in 2004) and Spanish demonstrators, supported by a collective association of ecologists, political parties and European trade unions, have begun a protest march across the EU which will end in Brussels on Sunday. They set off from the Ebro delta on 8 August and the "Blue March" for a new water policy in Europe will end in a demonstration in Brussels (leaving from the North Station at 13: 00 hrs) to call on the Commission to refuse all EU funding for the programme.
The hydroelectric programme would involve the construction of 120 new dams and the rerouting of the Ebro to meet agricultural and tourism requirements along the Mediterranean coast. The programme is estimated to cost around EUR 20 billion and the Spanish government is hoping that the Community will provide a third of this from the Structural Funds.
At a press conference, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Ecologistas en Accion (a Spanish NGO) and a "Blue March" representative explained on Friday that the hydroelectric programme was one of the biggest ever in Europe and would lead to a massive transfer of water resources from north to south Spain, would wreak environmental havoc and encourage non-sustainable water use. The European Commission has not yet published any information on its negotiations with the Spanish authorities, despite the NGOs' requests, lamented Susana Lopez from the Spanish NGO. John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, said it was essential that the Commission made sure the whole programme met EU legislative requirements to avoid only the "acceptable parts" being put forward for EU funding. Commissioner Michel Barnier (Regional policy)'s spokesperson explained to the press the same day that she was not aware of any Commission intention to publish the assessment of the environmental impact of the programme but said that Margot Wallström, the Environment Commissioner, had agreed to meet the marchers.
The European Parliament's Greens/EFA Group is organising a press conference at 14: 30 hrs in Brussels on Monday 10 September on this topic.