The Commission has replied in the following terms to the written question put to it by the Green MEP David Hammerstein Mintz (P‑0490/05) on the subject of the construction of a road through the Tamadaba Nature Park: ‘As far as the Commission is aware, no Community funding is planned for the project concerning the route for the Agaete-San Nicolás de Tolentino section of the new GC‑2 road. The project is not mentioned in the final report on the closure of the Canary Islands OP for 1994‑99, it does not appear in the latest version of the programme supplement to the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands’ integrated operational programme 2000‑06 and it is not receiving any aid from the Cohesion Funds. However, checks are being carried out in the Member State concerned to ensure that no Community funding is involved.’ (P‑490/05; reply from Mr Dimas on behalf of the Commission)

Sometime after the abovementioned question was tabled, the project was included in the cooperation agreement on roads (which has been concluded between Spain's central authorities and the Canary Islands Government and which was published in the 4 March 2006 (No 54) edition of the country's Official Gazette) under the designation ‘Agaete-La Aldea de San Nicolás de Tolentino’. The Spanish authorities were to provide EUR 103.7 million for the initial stage of the project.

In this connection the Commission's Environment DG has launched a procedure entitled ‘Planned route of the new GC‑2 highway — section between Agaete and San Nicolás de Tolentino’ in response to Complaint 2005 A/1868 which was lodged by the Canary Islands' Green Party in February 2005.

Has the Commission traced any Community finance for the project? Has it detected any possible breach of environmental law in the case of the planned Agaete-La Aldea de San Nicolás road, which constitutes an item of infrastructure affecting ecosystems and species protected under the Habitat Directive, a special protection area for birds (SPAB) and a site of Community interest (SCI)?