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Verfahren : 2017/2842(RSP)
Werdegang im Plenum
Entwicklungsstadium in Bezug auf das Dokument : O-000063/2017

Eingereichte Texte :

O-000063/2017 (B8-0327/2017)

Aussprachen :

PV 11/09/2017 - 16
PV 14/09/2017 - 12.2
CRE 14/09/2017 - 12.2

Abstimmungen :

Angenommene Texte :


Ausführliche Sitzungsberichte
Donnerstag, 14. September 2017 - Straßburg Überprüfte Ausgabe

12.2. Waldbrände in der Europäischen Union in diesem Sommer
Video der Beiträge
PV
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  Der Präsident. – Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Aussprache über die Große Anfrage gemäß Artikel 130b der Geschäftsordnung von Nicola Caputo, Fernando Ruas, Ivan Jakovčić, Eric Andrieu, Clara Eugenia Aguilera García, Ana Gomes, Renata Briano, Simona Bonafè, Ricardo Serrão Santos, Gilles Pargneaux, Pina Picierno, Ivica Tolić, Aldo Patriciello, Biljana Borzan, Claudia Țapardel, Dubravka Šuica, Brando Benifei, Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Alberto Cirio, Liliana Rodrigues, Barbara Spinelli, Andrea Cozzolino, Michela Giuffrida, Tonino Picula, Damiano Zoffoli, Daniele Viotti, Isabella De Monte, Martin Häusling, Monica Macovei, Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Željana Zovko, Merja Kyllönen, Igor Šoltes, Luigi Morgano, Silvia Costa, Elena Gentile, Alessandra Mussolini, Momchil Nekov, Salvatore Domenico Pogliese, Peter Kouroumbashev, Stefano Maullu, Marijana Petir, Franz Obermayr, Tibor Szanyi, Miltiadis Kyrkos, Stelios Kouloglou, Viorica Dăncilă, Eleonora Forenza, Curzio Maltese, Piernicola Pedicini, Manolis Kefalogiannis, Barbara Kappel, Enrique Guerrero Salom an die Kommission betreffend Waldbrände in der Europäischen Union in diesem Sommer (O-000063/2017 – 2017/2842(RSP)) (B8-0327/2017).

 
  
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  Nicola Caputo, autore. – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, l'estate appena trascorsa ha fatto registrare un picco di incendi mai rilevato in precedenza: il numero di roghi che ha devastato un'area dell'Europa grande quando il Lussemburgo è quasi triplicato rispetto alla media degli ultimi otto anni, passando da 404 a 1 068. I paesi più colpiti sono stati quelli della fascia del Mediterraneo – Italia, Portogallo, Spagna, Francia, Croazia e Grecia – che hanno subito numerose perdite umane e danni materiali su vasta scala.

L'Italia in particolare, secondo il Centro di coordinamento per la risposta all'emergenza della Commissione europea, nella scorsa estate ha avuto 371 roghi ed è stato il primo paese in Europa per numero di incendi boschivi, che hanno cancellato 72 000 ettari di vegetazione. Per gli Stati membri è spesso difficile affrontare da soli incendi di tale portata: come evidenziato dalla Corte dei conti europea in una relazione del 24 febbraio 2015, i finanziamenti dell'Unione europea destinati alla prevenzione dei danni alle foreste causati da incendi e calamità naturali, nonché alla ricostruzione del potenziale forestale, non sono gestiti in modo sufficientemente efficace. Di fatto ad oggi non esiste alcuna normativa specifica nell'Unione europea che riguardi la lotta agli incendi e alla siccità, e diventa sempre più evidente la mancanza di una strategia politica più ampia riguardante la prevenzione degli incendi.

Per questi motivi abbiamo presentato questa interpellanza principale, per chiedere alla Commissione se non ritiene opportuno mobilitare il Fondo di solidarietà dell'Unione europea e applicarlo in modo flessibile per far fronte ai gravi danni causati dagli incendi; se non ritiene sia il caso di avviare meccanismi di intervento europeo mediante la creazione di adeguati strumenti giuridici e di bilancio per ottenere un miglior coordinamento delle politiche degli Stati membri in materia e ottimizzare gli strumenti europei disponibili; e se, infine, ha intenzione di presentare misure specifiche per la prevenzione e la lotta agli incendi e alla siccità nell'Unione europea, prevedendo, ad esempio, aiuti agricoli per la creazione e la manutenzione di fasce parafuoco, in modo da conseguire un miglior coordinamento tra le politiche degli Stati membri in materia e avvalersi al meglio degli strumenti comunitari disponibili.

 
  
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  Corina Crețu, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, let me start by thanking you all for this major interpellation. Forest fires are currently a major concern for the European Union, and you know very well that the Commission is ready to make every effort to ensure EU solidarity reaches all those people and all those areas that were hit by the dramatic forest fires of this summer and avoid such catastrophes happening again.

EU solidarity is active at all stages – prevention, intervention and construction – and it is channelled through a broad range of instruments. First of all, the European Solidarity Fund. This fund can be mobilised to help with recovery from major and regional natural disasters. However, support is subject to two conditions – first, total direct damage should exceed a threshold which is specific for each Member State or region, and second, national authorities have to submit an application within twelve weeks of the start of the disaster. Without an application the Commission may not take the initiative.

Among the many countries affected by forest fires during the summer, only one, namely Portugal, has submitted so far an application for financial assistance, which is currently being assessed by the European Commission.

The second instrument that is available is the Cohesion Policy. The Cohesion Policy can support, among others, replacement of small and medium-sized enterprises’ productive capacity as well as public infrastructure and equipment. This is what we put in place, for example, for Portugal in August, sent through a swift reallocation of funding within Portuguese programmes with a total maximum budget of EUR 45 million from the Regional Development Fund.

Other EU response tools are also available to assist in fire emergencies. The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre monitors forest fires 24 hours per day using the European Forest Fire Information System, and close coordination is maintained between these two bodies with the countries at high risk of forest fires. Assistance may be provided by the EU civil protection mechanism – we mean fire fighting equipment and personnel. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service provides satellite maps for forest fire related emergencies to the European Forest Fire Information System.

The European Union’s main arm to protect forests is the European Agriculture Rural Development Fund, yet not because of the means it devotes to fire fighting. Experience shows that large-scale, catastrophic mega fires, if not intentional, are driven mainly by two factors. First, extreme weather conditions such as extended heatwaves, drought and strong winds, which are intensifying due to climate change. Second, fire-proneness of forests due to natural resource mismanagement and unsustainable land-use decisions such as abandonment of sustainable forest management practices. These factors are largely regardless of how much we spend on firefighting means and preparedness.

On the contrary, more investments are needed on forest fire prevention, on boosting the health and resilience of forest ecosystems. This is exactly what the European Agricultural Development Fund promotes, through three measures: investments in preventive actions to reduce the consequences of natural disasters on agricultural areas; prevention and restoration of damage to forests from fires; and risk management tools.

So thank you very much, and I am waiting for your debate.

 
  
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  Željana Zovko, u ime Kluba zastupnika PPE-a. – Gospodine predsjedniče, poštovana povjerenice Crețu, kao jedna od supotpisnica interpelacije o požarima u Europskoj uniji ovog ljeta, dužna sam sudjelovati na današnjoj raspravi te upozoriti na razmjere štete koje su požari kao posljedica i dugotrajne suše izazvali na jugu Europe, a osobito u Hrvatskoj i na njezinom području Dalmacije.

Tako se prema prvim procjenama našao podatak od 42 milijuna kuna štete bez opožarenih šuma samo u Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji, i to samo za vrijeme velikog požara u okolici Splita. Vjerujem kako će iznos štete biti mnogo veći kad se konačno zbroje svi podaci iz opožarenih područja u Dalmaciji, ali i u ostatku Hrvatske. Također, željela bih ovom prilikom zahvaliti svim dobrovoljnim i javnim vatrogasnim postrojbama, ali i svim hrvatskim građanima koji su neumorno hrabro i bez prestanka pomagali u obrani imovine, prirode i, što je još najvažnije, zaštiti i spašavanju ljudskih života.

No, kako ne bi ostali samo na zahvalama i riječima ohrabrenja našim vatrogascima i građanima, ovom prilikom želim ukazati na manjkavost u postojećim mehanizmima solidarnosti i instrumentima Europske unije. Tako, primjerice, ne postoji fleksibilnost unutar postojećih instrumenata kako bi se pomoglo državama članicama pogođenima velikim šumskim požarima. Ono što me zanima, poštovana povjerenice, jest kada Komisija misli mobilizirati sredstva Europskog fonda solidarnosti kako bi se pomoglo Hrvatskoj i ostalim državama članicama.

Smatrate li kako je nakon ovih požara potreban jedinstven zakonodavni okvir i instrument i tijelo koje bi pomoglo u koordinaciji politika i preventivnih mjera u borbi protiv ovakvih katastrofa?

 
  
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  Fernando Ruas (PPE). – Senhor Presidente, as minhas desculpas pelo sucedido e também o meu agradecimento pela compreensão que revelou ao dar-me a palavra.

Em julho solicitei este debate sobre incêndios florestais. À data, como disse, eram apenas Portugal e Espanha os países afetados, hoje juntamos-lhe a Croácia, a França, a Grécia e a Itália, o que demonstra bem a abrangência desta triste realidade.

De facto, e somente no meu país, arderam este ano e até 31 de agosto 214 mil hectares de floresta. Este número representa mais do que 234 % da área ardida do que a média dos últimos dez anos para o mesmo período e no âmbito da ajuda europeia importa saber se a Comissão perspetiva a aplicação flexível do Fundo de Solidariedade, como agora aqui é solicitado.

É que, no terreno, Senhora Comissária, as populações precisam de ajuda imediata e, se os governos nacionais são os primeiros responsáveis por essas ajudas, é também importante que conheçam, em tempo, os montantes europeus que lhe são atribuídos. Alerto, por isso, e mais uma vez, para a absoluta necessidade de uma ajuda célere, simplificada e flexível às famílias dos sobreviventes, aos trabalhadores que perderam os seus postos de trabalho, às empresas afetadas, aos bombeiros e às autarquias. Também aqui a União Europeia pode ajudar, aliás de acordo com a informação que a Sra. Comissária nos prestou, e que já está a ser feito no meu país.

 
  
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  Urszula Krupa, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Panie Przewodniczący! Chciałam poprzeć postulaty i pytania autorów interpelacji dotyczącej pożarów lasów, jakie dotknęły Unię, a zwłaszcza południowe kraje, powodując ofiary śmiertelne i ogromne szkody. Ochrona lasów jest niezbędna, a ich dobroczynny wpływ na środowisko czy klimat jest nie do przecenienia, a nawet trudny do wyszczególnienia. Trzeba mieć świadomość, że nowe lasy wyrosną na terenach Unii dopiero za kilkadziesiąt lat.

Zabieram głos w tym temacie także dlatego, że w Polsce doszło do ogromnych strat, co prawda nie wskutek pożarów, ale po nawałnicach, jakie miały miejsce w drugiej dekadzie sierpnia, kiedy to powalonych zostało prawie osiem milionów sześciennych drzew. Zniszczonych jest czterdzieści tysięcy hektarów lasów w południowo-zachodniej części mojego kraju, gdzie także zginęło kilka osób i zostało zniszczonych kilka tysięcy zabudowań. Szkody zwykle mają charakter powierzchniowy, jednak szczególnie w czasie pożarów zniszczeniu ulegają całe drzewostany, powstają ogromne straty przyrodnicze, ulegają zniszczeniu siedliska cennych gatunków ptaków, legowiska dzikich zwierząt czy siedliska cennych gatunków roślin. Dlatego potrzebna jest ochrona wspólnotowa, solidarność i wsparcie zarówno w kwestii ochrony lasów przed pożarami, jak i innymi kataklizmami, nie zapominając o edukacji społeczeństwa w tej dziedzinie. Konieczne jest uruchomienie Funduszu Solidarności Unii Europejskiej, jak i stosowanie go w elastyczny sposób, żeby usunąć szkody spowodowane pożarami, suszą czy kataklizmami.

 
  
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  Ivan Jakovčić, u ime Kluba zastupnika ALDE-a. – Gospodine predsjedniče, Mediteran je ove godine, ovoga ljeta, opet gorio. U Hrvatskoj je najgore bilo u Dalmaciji. Požare ne možemo predvidjeti, teško ih je kontrolirati, ali mi moramo nešto napraviti. Moramo staviti ruku na srce i reći, prije svega, i pitati se jesmo li dovoljno napravili, jer tragedije koje su se dešavale na čitavom Mediteranu zaista su nevjerojatne.

Trebamo više solidarnosti u Europi i trebamo iskoristiti Fond solidarnosti na fleksibilniji način. Trebamo pomoći ljudima, jer je bilo zaista velikih tragedija. Želim naglasiti, gospođo povjerenice, da sam Vam pisao, i, kao što znate, govorio sam o makrostrategiji Jadransko-jonske makrostrategije ovdje u ovom Parlamentu i u toj strategiji pisao sam kako trebamo jedan jadranski centar za prevenciju katastrofa, jedan zajednički centar za Jadran i Jonsko more.

Učinimo nešto kada govorimo o požarima, to možemo napraviti, to možemo financirati, to može pomoći ljudima. To je barem minimalno ono što možemo napraviti, ali učinimo to odmah.

(Govornik je pristao odgovoriti na pitanje postavljeno podizanjem plave kartice (članak 162. stavak 8. Poslovnika).

 
  
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  Petras Auštrevičius (ALDE), blue-card question. – Mr President, I noticed my colleague Mr Jakovčić made very clear proposals, and I believe that solidarity is a great value, but this value should somehow be translated into action. I would like to ask Mr Jakovčić: apart from the crisis centre, do you think that there should be some regional capacities established in order to cope with disasters much better? I mean, countries in a region might cooperate – have joint firefighters or something. What is your opinion about this?

 
  
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  Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE), odgovor na pitanje postavljeno podizanjem plave kartice. – Gospodine Auštrevičius, ja Vas naravno poznajem kao osobu koja ima uvijek vrlo konkretne ideje i prijedloge i u potpunosti podržavam ovo što govorite. Upravo na tragu i onoga što sam predložio, Vi na neki način sugerirate suradnju zemalja koje su blizu. Spomenut ću samo kanader; Italija i Hrvatska dijele ogromnu obalu Jadranskog mora, a tako smo blizu, i mi bismo zaista morali imati zajednički centar, jer kanader može preletjeti Jadran u nekoliko minuta. Dakle, apsolutno se slažem s Vama.

 
  
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  Der Präsident. – Vielen Dank, Herr Kollege Jakovčić! Es ist schön, dass Sie Ihre gegenseitige Wertschätzung, die Sie normalerweise nur in der Fraktion austauschen, auch einmal in öffentlicher Sitzung zur Geltung bringen.

 
  
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  João Pimenta Lopes, em nome do Grupo GUE/NGL. – Senhor Presidente, Portugal registou este verão números históricos de incêndios e área ardida, alguns de brutais proporções e consequências, e que não se podem justificar apenas pelas intensas vagas de calor. Dois meses volvidos após a aprovação de reforço orçamental do Fundo de Solidariedade importa apurar os montantes efetivamente disponibilizados para o país, bem como compreender como foram mobilizados e de que forma se efetivou o apoio às vítimas e às populações, por um lado, na recuperação ecológica estrutural, por outro.

Mas tomamos esta oportunidade para reforçar o que há muito defendemos: a necessidade de modificar as regras de mobilização do Fundo, assegurando uma mobilização mais flexível, atempada e cobrindo um leque mais amplo de catástrofes, mas igualmente afirmar que defender a floresta e prevenir os fogos exige outra política e meios financeiros e humanos.

A abordagem comunitária da prevenção de catástrofes e muitas das propostas que em 2010 este Parlamento aprovou - de que destaco a proposta de criação de um quadro financeiro apropriado à prevenção de catástrofes capaz de financiar ações em domínios como o ordenamento florestal ou a manutenção da atividade agrícola em áreas afetadas pelo despovoamento - estão ainda longe de serem implementadas. Muito está por fazer e urge tomar ações e medidas nesse sentido.

 
  
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  William (The Earl of) Dartmouth, on behalf of the EFDD Group. – Mr President, fires happen in particular places. Countries do not catch fire, nor even do regions. It is houses that catch fire, trees catch fire, woods catch fire, villages, even whole communities can get caught in fires, but it is all essentially local. The best approach to help put fires out and help cope with the consequences of fires is to do it locally. Victims of fires need people on the spot, and they and we need resources applied in exactly the right way at the right time and in the right place, that is to say locally.

Therefore, it follows that fires are the ultimate example in which to apply subsidiarity. Of course, neighbours must help out, and of course, all donations are welcome and all decent people will indeed help. But this is yet another and regrettable example of the EU Commission thinking that big is best. This is incorrect. It is local that is best – and more than that, micro is magic. We can help people best – individuals, communities and people caught in the middle – locally. What we do not need is the slow-moving, Kafkaesque EU bureaucracy which has proven itself over and over again to be dysfunctional and unhelpful.

To depart for my prepared text: there was a fire earlier today in the Hemicycle – a fire of democracy. It is not often that I agree with a Member of GUE/NGL, but the gentleman was right. It was profoundly undemocratic for a member of the Commission – the executive – to intervene directly in a parliamentary debate. This was fire of democracy, and colleagues should consider that a Parliament should not accept intervention in this way, from a member of the executive.

(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question under Rule 162(8))

 
  
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  Andrejs Mamikins (S&D), zilās kartītes jautājums. – Godātais Dartmouth kungs! Es gribu jums uzdot jautājumu. Kā jūs tik kaislīgi tagad kritizējat gan Eiropas Komisiju, gan manu kolēģi Corina Crețu, kuru es labprāt gribētu paslavēt, jo viņa ir komisāre no Rumānijas, viņa ir sociāldemokrāte, viņa strādā cītīgi, lai problēmas, par ko jūs runājat, tiktu atrisinātas maksimāli efektīvi.

Bet man jautājums ir jums principā — kāpēc jūs šeit esat šajā zālē un kritizējat Eiropas Komisiju, ja jūsu politiskā grupa ir principiāli pret Eiropas Savienību? Nu tad varbūt pietiek runāt šajā stilā un vienkārši jāatbrīvo plenārsēžu zāle?

 
  
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  William (The Earl of) Dartmouth (EFDD), blue-card answer. – As Donald Tusk, the President of the Council, pointed out in a prepared statement the day after the Brexit referendum, all UK citizens and all the citizens of other countries represented by members of the EFDD Group are fully bound by all the laws, rules, regulations and directives of the European Union. We therefore have a moral obligation to represent our constituents and to defend our constituents from all too many examples of bad decisions and bad decision-making by a number of Commissioners, many of whom are frankly just not up to the job.

 
  
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  Der Präsident. – Ich will doch noch einen Satz zu dem sagen, was heute Mittag kurz vor der Abstimmung nicht gesagt worden ist.

Nach den einschlägigen Bestimmungen hat die Kommission jederzeit das Recht zu intervenieren. Deshalb war die empörte Reaktion auf Frau Mogherini – die nicht von Ihnen kam, Herr Kollege Dartmouth, aber Sie haben es jetzt noch einmal angesprochen – in keiner Weise angebracht.

Catch-the-eye-Verfahren

 
  
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  Marc Tarabella (S&D). – Monsieur le Président, Madame la Commissaire, de plus en plus souvent on constate une baisse de la pluviosité au printemps, donc plus de sécheresse dans les taillis et dans les bois. Lorsque s'y ajoutent une vague de chaleur, des températures assez élevées – comme celles que l’on a connues cet été –, et des vents forts, on a évidemment des incendies qui se déclarent, notamment sur le pourtour méditerranéen. De plus, la simultanéité des feux est une difficulté supplémentaire dans la lutte contre les incendies.

Or, j’ai souvent entendu qu’on parlait de fonds solidarité et on a raison. Mais, dans les conditions d’aujourd’hui, même des coupe-feux dans les forêts bien entretenues ne peuvent empêcher des sautes de feux, quand il y a des vents très forts, de dizaines de mètres, voire de centaines de mètres.

À côté du Fonds de solidarité, qui intervient quand il est trop tard, quand il faut indemniser les victimes, ne pourrait-on pas penser à un fonds mixte privé/public qui pourrait, par exemple, intégrer des mairies, des assurances et aussi une série d’acteurs pour avoir un fonds de prévention qui puisse mieux équiper les zones les plus sensibles, par exemple en canadairs de réserve – même si je sais que c’est très onéreux – qui pourraient renforcer les équipes déjà existantes sur le terrain pour mieux combattre les feux, surtout quand il y a une simultanéité de déclaration d’incendies.

 
  
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  Ангел Джамбазки (ECR). – г-н Председател, поздравявам колегата Капуто и тези, които са се подписали под този въпрос. Той е много на място. Не само цяла Южна Европа горя тази година, горя и една от големите български планини – Пирин. Там щетите са за милиони и ще се възстановяват, както знаете една гора се възстановява от порядъка на десетилетия.

Много от колегите говориха за Фонда за солидарност, но той ще трябва да погасява щети, които вече са настъпили. Много по-евтино и много по-разумно е да се говори за това какво трябва и може да се направи, за да не бъдат допускани пожари в такива мащаби. И тук, колега Капуто, не може да става дума само за противопожарни просеки, те могат да бъдат правени някъде, но в биорезервати, в национални паркове, природни паркове такива просеки не могат да бъдат правени заради законодателството и труднодостъпния терен.

И тук, г-жо Комисар, имам конкретни предложения към Вас.

На първо място, може и трябва да се помисли за това да бъде закупувана съвместно техника от държавите членове, вертолети, самолети, водосамолети, които да гасят заедно големите площи между държавите.

На второ място трябва да бъдат обучавани доброволците от различните държави и да бъдат екипирани така, че да се борят с пожарите.

 
  
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  Jozo Radoš (ALDE). – Gospodine predsjedniče, požari koji su ove godine zahvatili Hrvatsku nisu zapamćeni u zadnjih nekoliko desetaka godina. Samo u kolovozu je izgorilo 44 000 hektara s velikom materijalnom štetom, ali na sreću bez ljudskih žrtava.

Ljetni požari su trajni problem Europe, pogotovo njenog mediteranskog dijela. Stoga zahvaljujem kolegi Caputou i ostalim kolegama koji su potaknuli ovo pitanje, a jednako tako podržavam njihove prijedloge o aktiviranju Europskog fonda solidarnosti i uspostavi europskog intervencijskog mehanizma. Mislim da bi se ti instrumenti, koje treba svakako aktivirati, trebali fokusirati na solidarnost prilikom gašenja požara i možda, što je još važnije, na zajedničku prevenciju izbijanja požara u pograničnim područjima Europske unije.

 
  
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  Eleonora Forenza (GUE/NGL). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, … di essere ancora affezionata alla divisione dei poteri che sono a fondamento dello Stato di diritto e, quindi, che una commissaria europea possa intervenire nel corso di una votazione è qualcosa che, per fortuna, ancora mi sorprende e penso che sia qualcosa di poco consono all'esaltazione dei poteri del Parlamento europeo e al loro rafforzamento, che molto spesso ascoltiamo da quello scranno. Quindi, mi permetta di dissentire fortemente da quanto Lei ha detto.

Ringrazio l'onorevole Caputo per essersi fatto promotore di questa interpellanza, che ho contribuito a sostenere attraverso la mia firma. Condivido integralmente quanto ha detto il collega Pimenta Lopes sul Fondo di solidarietà, cioè sul fatto che le politiche di austerità e di tagli hanno reso più difficile la prevenzione e gli interventi antincendio. Mi permetto anche di dire che non sempre gli Stati membri hanno fatto quanto potevano fare, che il Governo italiano dovrebbe forse acquistare più Canadair e meno F35 e che l'abolizione del Corpo forestale dello Stato di certo non ha aiutato a fronteggiare adeguatamente questa situazione.

 
  
 

(Ende des Catch-the-eye-Verfahrens)

 
  
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  Corina Crețu, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, I would like to thank Members for their words. I think the tensions that appeared here are not about this debate and about myself, but I thank you for your words.

I presented in my first speech exactly how many tools we have to deal with fires, and I can assure you that for us it was a priority during the summer. It was by chance that I was on permanence when Portugal suffered the fires. Each day I was in contact with the Ministers, in Greece and Italy also. You know that you, the Members of the European Parliament, voted yesterday for 95% from European funds to be used for natural disasters. Yesterday you also approved the Commission proposal to help Italy with EUR 1.2 billion after the earthquake.

In terms of the fires, I think the richness of the debate today shows just how complex the issue of forest fires is and requires joining forces, knowledge and expertise beyond silos and beyond borders. To respond to your questions, I would like to say that you are right when you say that everything is local, but the European Union activates assistance only when locals ask for help, so it took less than 12 hours this summer for Portugal to receive help from France, and also France, Italy and Spain. To give you an example: as I said at the beginning, we have a Solidarity Fund, we have Cohesion Funds. Portugal has asked for change in the operational programme, and in a few days we will change and help Portugal with EUR 45 million to deal with Portugal. We also have other instruments, for instance the Civil Protection Mechanism. The mechanism was activated by Portugal in the early hours of Sunday, 18 June, and through the mechanism an immediate offer was made, I can say, within one hour, of three planes from France. The French fleet arrived in the affected area on the same day and began operations immediately. The other eight planes from Italy and Spain were offered on 18 June and arrived on 18 and 19 June. So I just wanted to give you some examples of what we are doing with this.

What you said on prevention is very important. We have investments on prevention, on boosting the health and resilience of forests’ ecosystems. This is exactly what the European Agricultural Rural Development Fund promotes through the measures I presented at the beginning.

So, thank you once again for this debate. I will go back to Brussels with this message from you, with an unwavering will to work closely with you and the Member States in finding a European response to these very dramatic challenges for the countries and for the people.

 
  
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  Der Präsident. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

 
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