WRITTEN QUESTION E-1952/10 by Willy Meyer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Plan to pipe water from the river Segura and its impact on SPA ES0000266 Sierra de Moratalla (, )

The 26 June 2007 edition of Spain’s Official Gazette contained an announcement giving notification1 from the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura that the basic plan for a supply system from the Cenajo reservoir to the Canales del Taibilla water management body was available for public consultation. According to the announcement, the plan aims to distribute 131 cubic hectometres of water from the Tajo-Segura diversion for human consumption. The pipeline will be 145.8 km long and will run through the municipalities of Moratalla, , Cieza, Abarán, Blanca, Ulea, , and .

The plan will affect the ‘Sierra de Moratalla’ Special Protection Area for Birds ES000026, which forms part of the Natura 2000 network and in which 30 bird species have been classified as being in need of special protection. Notable amongst these are the kingfisher (Alcedo athis) and four species of birds of prey included in Annex I to Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds: the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), peregrine (Falco peregrinus), eagle owl (Bubo bubo) and the merlin (Falco columbarius).

Is the Commission aware of the plan to pipe water from the river Segura?

Does the Commission know whether the plan’s environmental impact statement, published in the Spanish Official Gazette of 25 February 2010, took into account the plan’s impact on SPA ES000026 ‘Sierra de Moratalla’?

What action has the Commission taken to ensure compliance with Council Directive 92/43/EEC2 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and Council Directive 79/409/EEC3 on the conservation of wild birds?

What specific measures does the Commission envisage adopting to protect this natural area which is of singular importance for the conservation of birds?

1 Anuncio Resolución de la Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura por el que se somete a información pública el proyecto básico sistema de suministro desde el embalse del Cenajo a la Mancomunidad de Canales del Taibilla 2 OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1. 3 OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

809470.EN PE 436.101