Brussels, 08/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - In order to quash rumours and speculation on the possibility of EU co-funding of the highly controversial Spanish hydrological plan, the European Commission has been at pains to say that no decision will be made before the summer. It is worth noting that the aim of the plan is the annual transfer of 1050 cubic hectometres of water from Ebro, in the North of the country (Catalonia) to the arid southern regions, to help mass tourism and intensive agriculture, and that it has been making waves with Spanish and European environmental NGOs since 2001, due to its possible negative effect on the environment, counter to Community legislation (habitat directive, and framework directive on water).
In an updating press release which was published on Saturday, the Commissioner confirmed once again that the four requests for co-funding received by its services in December 2003 are currently being looked at at technical level by all services concerned in the Commission, and that the European Investment Bank has been asked to give its opinion. "For the time being, there is neither a conclusion nor a definitive position on the projects. Exchanges of information are continuing with the Spanish authorities. The technical analysis of the projects in question is unlikely to be finished before the summer. Once it is, the Commission will be able to give its assessment on the Ebro water transfer dossier. There is nothing to be said about the internal exchanges of documents between the Commission's services", continues the press release.
Answering questions from the press, Pierre-Jérôme Hénin, spokesperson to Commissioner Michel Barnier (regional policy), said that requests for co-funding under structural funds had been transmitted to DGs Ecofin, Agriculture and Environment. "DG regional policy received two provisional answers last week. DG Environment has returned a opinion pending the examination of supplementary information, but which does not pre-judge the final decision", he said.
This update came on the eve of a major demonstration which brought together some 10,000 opponents of the hydrological plan in Tortosa (Catalonia), for which the Spanish government has authorised a call for tenders of around 639 EUR for the purchase of the equipment needed for the construction of the water transfer infrastructure (mainly pipes).