26.9.2002 EN OfficialJournalof the European Communities C 229 E/175

(2002/C 229 E/202) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1074/02 by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 April 2002)

Subject: The ‘Horse Country’ equestrian centre in a site of Community importance at San Vero ,

An equestrian centre for tourists, to be called ‘Horse Country’, is being built in the municipality of in the province of Oristano in . The project is being financed by the Region of Sardinia and the Province of Oristano and is to be located partly in a site of Community importance (SCI), code number ITB 030038. The site, covering 84 hectares, includes the ponds of Putzu Idu (Salina Manna and Pauli Marigosa), where the famous pink flamingos and other important bird and animal species are to be found. The earth-movers are perceptibly changing the natural habitat of the area. Apparently no assessment of the environmentalimpact and implicationshas been carried out.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

In view of Article 6 of Directive 92/43/EEC (1) can the Commission take steps to preserve the site in question and ensure that the project, which is already underway, is subjected to checks on the basis of the EIA procedure (2) and to an environmentalimpact assessment?

Can the Commission ascertain whether or not Community funding has been used to finance the project 9 for example via the Territorial Pact for Oristano or any other instrument 9 and suspend funding until it is ascertained that the project is compatible with Community law?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. (2) Cf. Directive 97/11/EC, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 2002)

On the basis of the information provided by the Honourable Member, it appears that the holiday village project known as ‘Horse Country’ in San Vero Milis (Oristano) could have a significant effect on the proposed Site of Community Importance (pSCI) ‘Stagni di Putzu Idu (Salina Manna e Pauli Marigosa) ITB00038’ under CouncilDirective 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of naturalhabitats and of wild fauna and flora. This pSCI contains 3 priority habitats.

Under Article 6, paragraph 3, of Directive 92/43/EEC, with reference to the sites which, according to the procedure laid down by the Directive, will be listed as Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and which will be designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) ‘any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objective’.

Although the above mentioned provision is not fully binding for proposed Sites of Community Importance (pSCI), Member States have certain obligations with reference to pSCI to act in a way so as to ensure that the aims of the Directive are not jeopardised. In particular, they are advised to at least abstain from all activities that may affect the integrity of a proposed site (especially when it contains priority habitats or species).

In this specific case, not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it.

Should the Commission be informed that Community law is being breached in this specific case, it would not hesitate, as guardian of the EC Treaty, to take all necessary measures, including infringement procedures under Article 226 of the EC Treaty, to ensure that the relevant provisions of Community law are observed. C 229 E/176 OfficialJournalof the European Communities EN 26.9.2002

According to the information sent to the Commission by the regionaland municipalauthorities concerned, the equestrian centre project in San Vero Milis does not receive Community financing but is part of an integrated area project financed by regionalfunds only.

(2002/C 229 E/203) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1076/02 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(18 April 2002)

Subject: Varying degrees of resistance to Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and lack of hospital treatment as a result of quarantine

1. Can the Commission confirm that the ‘hospital bacterium’ Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is only 1,5 % resistant to treatment with antibiotics in Dutch hospitals whereas in Belgian hospitals it is 30 % resistant because of the much greater use of antibiotics, and that as a result many infections caused by this bacterium are no longer treatable in Belgium?

2. Is the Commission aware that survivors of the huge fire at the cafe in Volendam in the Netherlands on 1 January 2001, who were treated in Belgian hospitals for a long period because of lack of capacity in the Netherlands, were kept in quarantine after their return to the Netherlands in the Heliomare facility in Beverwijk and that one of these patients died in July 2001 because her heart valve had been weakened by MRSA and she could not be taken to hospital for investigation and treatment because of quarantine requirements?

3. What can be done to prevent a situation in which necessary medicaltreatment cannot be given because of quarantine requirements?

4. How can people who fall sick during a visit to a Member State other than their home country or who have to undergo medicaltreatment abroad be better informed about the risks they run and how these risks can be reduced?

5. Does the Commission have figures relating to the situation in other EU Member States and in the twelve candidate countries?

6. What steps can be taken to bring down the level of resistance in Member States with high resistance and to prevent resistance increasing in those Member States with a lower level of resistance? What measures are being taken in areas with a low resistance to antibiotics to protect them against contamination from areas with a high level of resistance?

Source: Dutch TV programme ‘Kruispunt’ of 17 March 2002 and Flemish newspaper ‘Het Nieuwsblad’ of 19 March 2002.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2002)

1. Since 1998 the Commission has been supporting a laboratory based European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Scheme (EARSS) on the susceptibility of blood isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. For the period 1999-2001 EARSS reported a proportion of 21-23 % blood isolates of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for Belgium and 0,1-0,3 % for the Netherlands. The Commission does not have sufficient information to explain the reasons for this difference. An important step to link the resistance development to the use of antimicrobial agents has been taken with the support of the ESAC project (see 6).