Complaint against the MIREU Horizon 2020 project

3.9.2020

Question for written answer E-004817/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Sira Rego (GUE/NGL), Manu Pineda (GUE/NGL)

A complaint by Ecologistas en Acción and 30 other organisations [1] alleges that one of the objectives of the MIREU Horizon 2020 project, which has received EUR 3 million in funding from the Commission, is to create a database on the social acceptance of mining projects and an exchange of experiences on how to convince people to oppose highly polluting mining projects or those carried out close to inhabited areas. To this end, it has financed the mapping of open mining conflicts in Spain, such as the Retortillo mine in Salamanca, the Muga mine in Aragon, Cobre Las Cruces in Seville and the lithium mine in Cáceres, among others.

• 1.Does the Commission know whether the objectives of the MIREU project include gathering information on social and environmental movements, how to disrupt such movements and social acceptance strategies for mining projects?
• 2.How does the Commission view this serious breach of impartiality and of the obligation to uphold European legislation?
• 3.Does the Commission intend to carry out an investigation and, if necessary, demand that these funds be used for the sustainable development of mining and metallurgical regions rather than for the benefit of mining multinationals?

• [1] https://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Letter-MIREU.pdf