Water treatment emergency

27.8.2014

Question for written answer E-006386-14
to the Commission
Rule 130
Ignazio Corrao (EFDD)

It is highly likely that Sicily will not manage to use the EUR 1 161 billion made available by the FSC to build sewers and water treatment plants on the island. At present, only 14 out of 94 projects are ready to move on to the operational stage.

The EU has launched infringement proceedings against Italy for its failure to comply with the EU directive on the treatment of urban waste water with regard to 175 urban agglomerations in Sicily.

Two years ago, the Court of Justice of the European Union took action against as many as 57 municipalities in the Sicily Region, condemning them for their infringement of Directive 91/271/EEC on the treatment of urban waste water. Of those, 27 Sicilian agglomerations were convicted of failing to have sewerage networks.

Can the Commission therefore say whether it will set up a special task force with a view to upgrading the Sicilian water treatment system, in order to respond to the acknowledged inability of the local authorities to plan and implement the projects themselves?